US Treasury secretary calls Denmark ‘irrelevant’ ahead of Trump speech at Davos – Europe live | Europe
important events
EU’s von der Leyen reiterates that ‘Only Greenlanders can decide Greenland’s future’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that “Only Greenlanders can decide the future of Greenland” He warned that Europe must “transform the ways we think and act” to meet the challenges posed by a rapidly changing world order.
he said this Europe needed to realize that “we now live in a world defined by raw power”. “In this increasingly lawless world, Europe needs its own instruments of power,” he adds, abandoning “traditional caution” to develop its economic power and become more independent.
Speaking at the plenary meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg von der Leyen also repeated the important lines from her Davos speech yesterday: He warned that US threats to impose tariffs on EU partners over Greenland could send relations into a “dangerous downward spiral” and “only embolden those enemies we are both determined to keep out of the strategic landscape”.
“Greenland is not just a territory located on a key part of the world map, a land rich in critical raw materials, a strategic outpost on emerging global sea lanes. It is all of these, but most of all, Greenland is the home of a free and sovereign people. It is a nation that has the right to sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the future of Greenland will be decided only by the Greenlanders,he said.
Von der Leyen also said, “It is more important than ever that we continue to focus on Ukraine.” The bloc continues its support for the war-torn country.
Morning opening: Corset, corset
Yakup Krupa
So what will he say?
After days of speculation Today is the day Donald Trump will speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He talks about his latest thoughts on the emerging new global order, business, trade, the role of the United States in the world, and, Well, whatever else he finds there.
It’s fitting that his replacement comes a day after Canada’s prime minister. Mark Carney warned His now viral speech He says the US-led global governance system is experiencing a “rupture” defined by great power competition and the “disappearance” of the rules-based order.
“Lately Great powers began to use economic integration as a weapon. Tariffs as leverage. Financial infrastructure as coercion. “Supply chains are vulnerabilities that can be exploited,” he said.
Yes, he meant Donald Trump.
Let’s see what US presidents want to say in response.
there is one A lot Long list of things European leaders must do – some in the room, some glued to their computers and televisions (good morning, Copenhagen) – will call They want to know Trump’s next steps on Ukraine, NATO and EU-US trade.
And It’s more likely that they won’t like the answers.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent offered a taste Last night, when asked about Denmark’s investments in the UK, he replied in the bullish tone we have become accustomed to from this administration: “Denmark’s investment in US treasury bonds, Irrelevant, like Denmark itself.”
Before then, we will also seek the views of other key European leaders, including the NATO secretary general, who will attend Davos. Mark Rutte and influential president of Finland Alexander Stubb. Let’s see what they say.
I will report all developments here. We have a busy day ahead of us.
His Wednesday, January 21, 2026, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
