66 h. ago The EU finally used an economic threat against Trump. But the markets forced his climbdown | Rosa Balfour

While the threat of retaliatory measures to stop the annexation of Greenland worked, it remains to be seen if Europe has the unity to follow throughThe past couple of weeks have seen the most spectacular crisis escalation in the transatlantic relationship, over the US threat to annex Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. It risked becoming a major conflict among the members of Nato, the most powerful security alliance in world history – until now.On Wednesday, after a meeting with Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, the US president, Donald Trump, backtracked on his threats to slap tariffs on countries that got in the way of his annexation project. As European leaders huddled together over dinner for a post-crisis debrief in Brussels on 22 January, they congratulated themselves on their unity and appreciated the intervention of Rutte, or “Daddy diplomacy”. If these really were the conclusions of the latest debacle in transatlantic relations, they are missing important ...

Economics

3 d. ago The lesson for Europe from Trump’s climbdown? When we stop genuflecting and hit back, he 'tacos' | Nathalie Tocci

With conflict over Greenland averted for now, European leaders will be tempted to retreat to their comfort zone of cowardice. But the next crisis will soon be hereDonald Trump’s climbdown, after days of escalation during which he had refused to rule out a military attack to annex Greenland, was spectacular. In his Davos speech, Trump repeated his desire to own Greenland, claiming that you cannot defend what you do not own, only to then announce that he would not conquer the Arctic island by force. Hours later, he claimed that he had reached an unspecified deal on Greenland, and would therefore refrain from imposing additional tariffs on those European countries that had had the audacity to participate in a joint military exercise in Greenland at Denmark’s invitation.We know neither the details of the framework agreement reached by Trump and the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, nor whether it carries any weight, given the US president’s fickleness. But it appears that the deal, wh...

Politics

4 d. ago EU aims for ‘stabilisation’ of trade relations with US after Greenland crisis

European leaders hold summit in Brussels to consider response to Donald Trump’s climbdown

Events

4 d. ago Starmer hails Trump's climbdown on Greenland threats but warns of 'hard yards' to come as fresh clash looms over 'peace board'

Keir Starmer said it was a 'good thing' that Donald Trump had dropped the idea of tariffs against Nato allies or seizing Greenland by force.

Events

4 d. ago 'Now, focus on real issues,' says Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper after Trump climbdown on Greenland

The US president had threatened to impose tariffs on eight European nations, including Britain, over his demands for the territory

Politics

5 d. ago Trump leaves door open to climb down over furious US row with Europe over Greenland

But the US president chided European leaders telling them: ‘Without us you’d be speaking German’

Politics