Europe tells Trump to back off Greenland as leaders sign off on ‘binding commitment’ to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks: Live updates

Keir Starmer hosts his first Cabinet meeting of the year

Downing Street has declined to say whether the UK would be willing to mount a military fight to defend Greenland.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he did not want to ‘get into hypotheticals’ when asked about the likelihood of the US following through with threats to annex the territory or whether the UK would be willing to fight militarily on its behalf.

He later added:

As the Prime Minister said and reiterated with other leaders this morning, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which is a member of Nato. Nato’s strength lies in the unity and collective defence of its members. The UK is proud to be a leader in Nato alongside the US, and obviously that includes staunchly supporting and upholding its principles.

Asked if the Prime Minister views Donald Trump as a threat to European security, he said ‘no’, adding:

The Prime Minister clearly has a very close relationship with President Trump, and as I say, that special relationship with the US is one that has endured over many decades. They are one of our closest allies.

Russian forces launched an overnight attack in Chernihiv earlier this week

Kyiv said in recent days a deal was “90 per cent” ready.

But Russia, which occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control of the country’s eastern Donbas region as part of a deal.

Kyiv has warned ceding ground will embolden Moscow and said it will not sign a peace deal that fails to deter Russia from invading again.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday said diplomatic efforts were being waged ‘under difficult conditions’.

‘Russia is showing little willingness to negotiate, President Zelensky is struggling to maintain unity among Ukrainians, and transatlantic cooperation has changed profoundly,” he wrote in a letter to lawmakers, a copy of which the AFP news agency obtained on Tuesday.

‘We want a ceasefire that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty. We therefore want such a ceasefire… to be backed by security guarantees from the US and Europe.’

Venezuela’s captured president Nicolas Maduro onboard the USS Iwo Jima

The capture by US forces of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, an ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has unsettled some European countries and added a potential new element of transatlantic tension.

European leaders have been at pains to not firmly condemn the US operation to grab Maduro at the weekend in the run-up to the Paris meeting, while expressing discomfort at the implications for international law.

Before leaving for Paris, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the aim of the meeting was to ‘tighten and align the European and American positions’.

He said this was because ‘only that kind of pressure has a chance of forcing the Russians to take the issue of a ceasefire, and then peace, seriously’. He, warned against expecting final decisions to be made in Paris.

An adviser to Macron on Monday said the new meeting was the culmination of efforts launched after Trump’s arrival at the White House to prevent ‘the United States from abandoning Ukraine’.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller stunned US allies and rattled NATO on Monday night after flatly declaring that Greenland ‘should be part of the United States’ – and insisting that no country would dare fight Washington over the Arctic territory’s future.

In a combative appearance on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, the White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser brushed aside repeated questions about whether the United States might use military force to seize Greenland, currently governed by Denmark.

‘Nobody’s gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,’ Miller said on air, brushing aside repeated attempts to get him to explicitly rule out military action.

Here’s the full statement released the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain as they underlined their support for Denmark after Donald Trump voiced designs on the country’s autonomous Arctic territory of Greenland:

The statement was released as Coalition of the Willing leaders meet in Paris for Ukraine peace talks with the US represented by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

Arctic security remains a key priority for Europe and it is critical for international and transatlantic security. NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up.

We and many other Allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries. The Kingdom of Denmark – including Greenland – is part of NATO.

Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with NATO allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders. These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.

The United States is an essential partner in this endeavour, as a NATO ally and through the defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States of 1951. Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.

US Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland in March last year

Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Greenland at the heart of the debate over global trade and security, and Donald Trump wants to make sure his country controls this mineral-rich country that guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a longtime US ally that has rejected Trump’s overtures. Greenland’s own government also opposes US designs on the island, saying the people of Greenland will decide their own future.

Here’s why Greenland is strategically important to Arctic security:

• Greenland sits off the northeastern coast of Canada, with more than two-thirds of its territory lying within the Arctic Circle. That has made it crucial to the defense of North America since World War II, when the U.S. occupied Greenland to ensure it didn’t fall into the hands of Nazi Germany and to protect crucial North Atlantic shipping lanes
• Following the Cold War, the Arctic was largely an area of international cooperation. But climate change is thinning the Arctic ice, promising to create a northwest passage for international trade and reigniting competition with Russia, China and other countries over access to the region’s mineral resources
• Greenland is also a rich source of the so-called rare earth minerals that are a key component of mobile phones, computers, batteries and other hi-tech gadgets that are expected to power the world’s economy in the coming decades

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has been greeted by President Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Mr Zelensky will hope to seal security guarantees for Ukraine in the latest round of Coalition of the Willing talks.

In his evening address to the nation on Sunday, Zelensky said the meetings should bring ⁠closer efforts to end the war.

‘Ukraine will prepare for both scenarios: diplomacy, which we are pursuing, or further active defence if pressure from partners on Russia proves insufficient. Ukraine wants peace,’ he said.

Security guarantees for Ukraine will include ‘binding commitments’ to support the country ‘in the case of a ​future armed attack by Russia in order to restore peace’, according to a draft statement from ​the Coalition of Willing of Kyiv’s allies

‘These commitments may include the use of military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, adoption of additional sanctions,’ said the draft, seen by ⁠Reuters, which still needs approval at a summit of the coalition’s leaders in Paris ​later in the day.

Talks to bring the almost four-year conflict to an end have accelerated since November.

However, there have been few signals Russia would be willing to accept the current proposals on the table, with the issue of territory remaining a key obstacle to negotiations and fighting between ⁠the two sides showing no signs of abating.

Until now, many of the military pledges made as part of the coalition’s planning process have been quite vague, according to officials ⁠and diplomats.

‌Greenland belongs to its people, and ​only Denmark ​and ​Greenland can ⁠decide on matters concerning ​their ‍relations, ​the leaders of France, ‍Germany, Italy, ‍Poland, Spain, Britain, and ⁠Denmark said in ⁠a joint statement on Tuesday.

The statement released as Coalition of the Willing nations meet in Paris makes clear the Arctic security is a ‘key priority’ for Europe.

It comes as the US raises suggestions it could takeover Greenland to bolster its own national security.

Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney greet one another in Paris

Representatives of 35 countries, including 27 heads of state, will gather in Paris.

The French presidency said the meeting aims to show the ‘alignment’ between Washington, Kyiv and European allies on security guarantees for Ukraine.

Top-ranking officials in Paris today include:

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Canada’s Mark Carney
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are also expected to attend the meeting
• US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, are representing Washington

French President Emmanuel Macron had expressed optimism about the latest gathering of so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’ nations.

For months, they have been exploring how to deter any future Russian aggression should it agree to stop fighting Ukraine.

In a December 31 address, Macron said that allies would ‘make concrete commitments’ at the summit ‘to protect Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace.’

Macron’s office said Tuesday’s meeting will gather an unprecedented number of officials attending in person, with 35 participants including 27 heads of state and government.

Participants seek concrete outcomes on five key priorities once fighting ends: ways to monitor a ceasefire; support for Ukraine’s armed forces; deployment of a multinational force on land, at sea and in the air; commitments in case there’s another Russian aggression; and long-term defense cooperation with Ukraine.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Ukraine talks in Paris as allies look to push ahead with plans to end the war with Russia.

The summit of the group of Ukraine supporters dubbed the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ is the latest of several meetings planned for the new year as diplomatic efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have gained pace in recent weeks.

Representatives of 35 countries, including 27 heads of state, will gather in Paris, with the French presidency saying the meeting aims to show the ‘alignment’ between Washington, Kyiv and European allies on security guarantees for Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend on behalf of the US.

Stick with us for the latest updates from Paris as we bring you the latest on the talks.