Morning opening: With pals like these
Jakub Krupa
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen travels to Berlin, Paris and Brussels at brief discover at this time as she seeks to hunt European unity in response to US president Donald Trump’s repeated plans to “get” Greenland.
“Denmark is a small country with strong allies. And it is part of a strong European community where together we can meet the challenges we face. … With war on the continent and changes in geopolitical reality, … unity is crucial,” she stated in a press release in Danish revealed final night time.
Her journey comes after the same show-of-unity assembly over the weekend when she hosted the prime ministers of Sweden and Norway and the president of Finland in Copenhagen for what appeared like the cosiest, most relaxed dinner between world leaders ever.
However footage may be deceiving.
On Monday, Denmark introduced plans to speculate £1.65bn ($2bn) to spice up its safety within the Arctic area with new ships, long-range drones, and satellites to assist police the world. One of many priorities is tellingly named “asserting the sovereignty.” (No phrase on additional canine sleds, which Trump ridiculed final week.)
Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated the nation’s intelligence companies warned in opposition to a higher-than-usual menace stage within the area. And presumably, they don’t simply imply the standard suspects within the Russians and the Chinese language.
Even placing navy stress apart, the US is Denmark’s largest export market, with pharmaceutical, equipment, and technical gear high of the checklist. Any disruption – for instance, by means of Trump’s favorite phrase, tariffs – would damage and will simply escalate shortly because the EU could be anticipated to reply as a bloc.
Danish parliament speaker Søren Gade stated this morning within the Danish press that Trump’s phrases on Greenland felt “like a kick in the gut” after years of shut cooperation inside Nato, with Danish troops becoming a member of US missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a telling passage of his interview with the Politiken newspaper, he stated he would normally belief the US and observe the nation’s view on defence points. Nonetheless, even he’s bewildered by the present diplomatic disaster.
In step with what the Monetary Instances is reporting as a deliberate tactic to keep away from additional public confrontation with Trump, EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas sought to play the state of affairs down when she addressed reporters yesterday.
She backed Denmark however insisted that “we are not negotiating on Greenland,” and “we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs because this is not the situation right now.”
However the nerves are palpable, and Frederiksen won’t need to take dangers. That’s why she is off round Europe.
On Tuesday morning, she stated that “we need a stronger and more resolute Europe, standing increasingly in its own right” within the context of rising Russian and Chinese language challenges.
Might she imply another person, too?
It’s Tuesday, 28 January 2025, and that is Europe reside. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
Key occasions
‘Borders should not be moved by power,’ Scholz says in a swipe at Trump
Talking alongside Frederiksen, German chancellor Olaf Scholz went additional by making a very pointed comment on territorial integrity, which appeared like a swipe at Trump.
Talking in German, seemingly about Ukraine, he stated:
We are going to assist Ukraine within the distribution of its sovereignty and its freedom, so long as it takes. With our companions in Washington That’s the reason we now agree that this struggle should finish, nevertheless it should not be a dictated peace. Putin have to be clear that he’s sending his troopers right into a mindless battle. The inviolability of borders is a elementary precept of worldwide legislation. Russia broke this precept with its assault on Ukraine …
However then he went on:
The precept should apply to everybody. I made that clear once more from this level just a few days in the past: Borders should not be moved by power.
Earlier than including, unusually, in English and with a stern look on his face:
To whom it could concern.
‘As much as Europe to outline the way forward for our continent,’ Danish PM says in Berlin
Denmark’s Frederiksen spoke in Berlin over the past hour, the place she begun her European tour assembly German chancellor Olaf Scholz.
She didn’t explicitly reference US president Donald Trump or Greenland, however let’s see when you can spot a sure theme or subtext in her feedback.
This morning, we face extra unsure actuality, a actuality that requires an much more united Europe and for extra cooperation. Our ties are rooted in our historical past, our values, and in our pursuits, in Europe and in addition throughout the Atlantic. …
We want a stronger and a extra resolute Europe standing more and more in its personal proper, able to defending and selling Europe and the European pursuits. It’s as much as Europe to outline the way forward for our continent. I feel we’ve got to take extra duty for our personal safety. …
Europe, our continent, is predicated on the concept of that cooperation reasonably than confrontation will result in peace, to progress, to prosperity, and allow us to honour that concept.
Now, shortly a closing phrase on yesterday’s occasion in Oświęcim and the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German focus camp in Auschwitz.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Henley was there and right here is his report.
On a day of startling blue skies, Auschwitz survivors stood earlier than princes and presidents on Monday to remind the world, maybe for the ultimate time, of the horrors they suffered there throughout one of many darkest moments of human historical past.
Beneath a white marquee erected in entrance of the gate to the previous Nazi loss of life camp, 4 former inmates – the youngest 86, the oldest 99 – warned world leaders on the eightieth anniversary of its liberation in opposition to the hazard of rising antisemitism.
For detailed minute-by-minute protection, verify our Europe reside weblog from yesterday.
Morning opening: With pals like these
Jakub Krupa
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen travels to Berlin, Paris and Brussels at brief discover at this time as she seeks to hunt European unity in response to US president Donald Trump’s repeated plans to “get” Greenland.
“Denmark is a small country with strong allies. And it is part of a strong European community where together we can meet the challenges we face. … With war on the continent and changes in geopolitical reality, … unity is crucial,” she stated in a press release in Danish revealed final night time.
Her journey comes after the same show-of-unity assembly over the weekend when she hosted the prime ministers of Sweden and Norway and the president of Finland in Copenhagen for what appeared like the cosiest, most relaxed dinner between world leaders ever.
However footage may be deceiving.
On Monday, Denmark introduced plans to speculate £1.65bn ($2bn) to spice up its safety within the Arctic area with new ships, long-range drones, and satellites to assist police the world. One of many priorities is tellingly named “asserting the sovereignty.” (No phrase on additional canine sleds, which Trump ridiculed final week.)
Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated the nation’s intelligence companies warned in opposition to a higher-than-usual menace stage within the area. And presumably, they don’t simply imply the standard suspects within the Russians and the Chinese language.
Even placing navy stress apart, the US is Denmark’s largest export market, with pharmaceutical, equipment, and technical gear high of the checklist. Any disruption – for instance, by means of Trump’s favorite phrase, tariffs – would damage and will simply escalate shortly because the EU could be anticipated to reply as a bloc.
Danish parliament speaker Søren Gade stated this morning within the Danish press that Trump’s phrases on Greenland felt “like a kick in the gut” after years of shut cooperation inside Nato, with Danish troops becoming a member of US missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a telling passage of his interview with the Politiken newspaper, he stated he would normally belief the US and observe the nation’s view on defence points. Nonetheless, even he’s bewildered by the present diplomatic disaster.
In step with what the Monetary Instances is reporting as a deliberate tactic to keep away from additional public confrontation with Trump, EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas sought to play the state of affairs down when she addressed reporters yesterday.
She backed Denmark however insisted that “we are not negotiating on Greenland,” and “we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs because this is not the situation right now.”
However the nerves are palpable, and Frederiksen won’t need to take dangers. That’s why she is off round Europe.
On Tuesday morning, she stated that “we need a stronger and more resolute Europe, standing increasingly in its own right” within the context of rising Russian and Chinese language challenges.
Might she imply another person, too?
It’s Tuesday, 28 January 2025, and that is Europe reside. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
