Trump arrives in Switzerland amid rising tensions over trade and military threats

BarcelonaDonald Trump has arrived in Switzerland to participate in the Davos Economic Forum, amid growing tension over his insistence on annexing Greenland and trade threats in several European countries. The US president arrived in Zurich around 1 p.m. and took a helicopter to the Swiss Alpine town where the economic summit is being held. His speech is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. this Wednesday. However, it is unclear whether his address will be on time, as he has arrived late. Air Force One experienced a "minor electrical problem" shortly after takeoff en route to Switzerland, and Trump had to continue the journey on a smaller plane, which departed two hours later than planned. Trump has traveled to Switzerland with a large team of advisors and members of his administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In addition to delivering the official speech, Trump also plans to use his visit to Davos to hold a ceremony this Thursday to launch what he has called the Peace Council, whose first mission would be to oversee the political transition in the Gaza Strip. Trump has invited sixty world leaders to participate, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a move that has generated controversy. Most European leaders have said they are considering it, but Emmanuel Macron has already declined, further increasing tensions between the two leaders.

The French President He raised his voice yesterday against Donald Trump From the podium in Davos, where he labeled the US president—without referring to him directly—a "bully," the Élysée Palace formally requested a NATO mission in Greenland this Wednesday and stated its willingness to contribute. In doing so, France further emphasizes its support for Denmark, which last week He already called for an exercise by the Atlantic Alliance. on the Arctic island. The proposal for a joint military exercise within the framework of NATO would allow the United States to participate alongside its allies in strengthening security in Greenland, the factor that supposedly most worries Trump and for which he argues Washington must take control at all costs.

Trump's threats continue. Hours before traveling to Switzerland, he reiterated his intention to annex the Arctic island. In a press conference at the White House this Tuesday, he expressed his conviction that Greenlanders will eventually want to integrate into the United States, despite all the polls indicating otherwise. "I haven't spoken to them yet, but I'm sure that when I do, they'll be delighted," Trump said.

When asked how far he is willing to go to control Greenland, he simply replied: "You'll see." Regarding the potential rupture of NATO should he move forward with his plans for military intervention, Trump expressed confidence that this would not happen. But, as always, he avoided giving any concrete details: "I think we'll find something that will make NATO very happy, and we'll be very happy."

Trump's speech in Davos has generated much more anticipation after the US president announced over the weekend his intention to impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries as punishment for opposing his plans. The trade threat came after several countries sent small military contingents to the island on a prospecting mission. Now, Denmark and France are requesting that this be formally transformed into joint NATO exercises.

Rutte comes to Trump's defense

Despite criticism from several European leaders regarding Trump's threats, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has once again come to the defense of the US president. "We are lucky to have him," he insisted at a roundtable discussion at the Davos Forum on the future of the Atlantic Alliance. In this regard, the Dutch leader asserted that the Atlantic allies have increased their military spending to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) due to pressure from the Pentagon. When asked about his silence regarding Trump's threats in Greenland, the NATO Secretary General justified his silence and his failure to even defend the sovereignty of one of his allies, Denmark. "I am working on the Greenland issue behind the scenes, but I cannot do so publicly," Rutte replied.

European countries' opposition to Trump's expansionist intentions regarding Greenland and their reservations about the Peace Council have already had consequences beyond trade threats. Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine have fared the worst, falling to the bottom of the US president's list of priorities. According to reports... Financial TimesThe US has halted plans to provide an $800 billion economic aid package to Ukraine once the war ends. Representatives from Ukraine, Europe, and the US were scheduled to announce the agreement at the Davos summit, but it has been postponed.

The Ukrainian president said on Tuesday that he would only travel to Davos if there was a possibility of signing documents with the US on security guarantees and a prosperity plan to provide Kyiv with long-term support for the country's reconstruction, something that does not appear to be progressing at the moment. "Ukraine is ready for meetings with all partners if these meetings help us save lives and guarantee security," Zelensky told X.

And while Ukraine is the most affected, Russia is one of its beneficiaries. "The attempt to make Ukraine the main topic at Davos has failed," the Kremlin's envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, applauded yesterday on Telegram.