The Arctic is the fastest-warming region on the planet and is doing so at an unprecedented rate: up to four times faster on average than the rest of the Earth's land areas. And this has an enormous global impact because the ice in this ocean played a key role in regulating the Earth's climate, and it is now melting at an unprecedented speed. This is also changing the structure of the oceans, with a brutal impact on local communities and biodiversity.

After weeks of threats against Greenland, Donald Trump appears to have curbed his ambition to seize the Arctic island by force after reaching an alleged agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Against this backdrop of tense calm, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen are undertaking a mini-tour of Europe this week to thank European countries for their political and military support in the face of Trump's imperialist stance. The two leaders met Tuesday in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and on Wednesday traveled to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Donald Trump's threats against Greenland And the trade blackmail in countries that have opposed his expansionist plans has led to a distancing of the far right and European populists from the US president. Alternative for Germany (AfD), Marine Le Pen's National Rally, and Britain's Nigel Farage are among those who have demonstrated that Trump's attitude toward Europe is affecting the unity that the international far right had previously displayed.

In another twist that seems to take us back to international Darwinism From the 19th century, Trump is increasingly pushing to annex Greenland. The president's arguments have been unsubtle: he wants to force Denmark to sell him the territory, and his first threat is to raise tariffs. But beyond Trump, there is a constellation of pro-Trump voices that have been presenting the annexation of Greenland as a battle in defense of an oppressed minority (the Inuit) against their colonial oppressor (Denmark). Historically true facts, such as the forced contraception campaign against Inuit women or the Danish assimilation policies of decades past, are used to create an image of Denmark as a brutal colonizer. The United States and President Trump, under this rhetoric, would be the saviors the Inuit people need.

The influence and strength of NATO allies are not measured solely by troop numbers or defense budget figures. Denmark clearly illustrates this. Despite being a small nation with a modestly sized armed forces, the Nordic country has built a reputation as a crucial member for NATO's interests. This is due to its geographic location and its political reliability, as it has historically been one of Washington's closest and most loyal allies.

Donald Trump's proposal to annex Greenland to the United States has caught Europe off guard, as it did not expect the US president to go so far. It also caught the Catalan and Spanish far right off guard, who remained silent, even though until now they had publicly supported the Republican leader in all the international conflicts he promoted or in which he became embroiled during his second term. Both Aliança Catalana and Vox did not hesitate to defend the US intervention in Venezuela, which ended with the arrest of its president, Nicolás Maduro. They also endorsed Trump's plans for Palestine, after shamelessly defending the genocide in Gaza. And in recent days, amidst the uprising in Iran, both parties have supported a future US intervention to end the Islamic Republic. The president of Aliança Catalana herself, Sílvia Orriols, urged him to repeat in Iran the operation against Hugo Chávez's successor. "Trump is taking far too long to capture ayatollahs..." he declared on social media.

April 9, 1940. Denmark is invaded by the Nazis with very little resistance. Hitler allows the legitimate government to remain in office and King Christian X to stay in the country. A puppet government is not formed, but the executive branch is placed under the tutelage and close surveillance of Berlin. In response to these events, in Washington, the career Danish ambassador Henrik Kauffmann (1888-1963) opposes from the outset what he considers a shameful pact with German fascism and decides to act independently of the orders from Copenhagen, where he will eventually be declared a traitor. Kauffmann, whose wife, Charlotte MacDougall (1900-1963), is closely connected to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, remains steadfast and seeks to convince Americans to support his act of rebellion. Initially, even Roosevelt is not convinced. The US initially wants to remain neutral in the war. But the rapid advance of the Nazi army in Europe and the danger of England also falling into their hands changed everything.

"Greenland for Greenlanders." "Greenland is not for sale." "Land of the Greenlanders." "Neither Americans nor Danes, we arekalaal cama"In recent months, but especially in the last three weeks, cries like these have been repeated, probably more insistently than ever. Polls confirm that the vast majority of the population of the Arctic island don't even want to hear about becoming part of the United States, and a similar majority states that the goal is independence for the region. ~BK_SLT_L Denmark achieved a high level of autonomy in 2009. The self-government law passed in the Danish Parliament established a guide for Greenland's independence, stipulating that if the Greenlandic people decide to opt for independence, negotiations must begin between the governments of Copenhagen. Regarding defense, security, and foreign policy

After weeks of maximalist threats about annexing Greenland, Donald Trump surprised everyone on Wednesday with the announcement of a "framework for a future agreement" on the Arctic island. What was surprising was that this announcement didn't come after he met with representatives from Greenland or Denmark, but rather with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who has no jurisdiction over the Arctic island. Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, made this clear: "No one, apart from Greenland and Denmark, has the mandate to make agreements on Greenland without us. This is not going to happen." He also emphasized that no one had informed them of the terms of the supposed preliminary agreement: "I don't know what's in the agreement regarding my country." In a press conference from Nuuk, the head of the island's autonomous government reiterated that he had no details about the supposed preliminary agreement announced by Trump. He also recalled that, in a meeting in Washington last week at the level of foreign ministersIt was agreed to create a high-level working group to find a viable solution. "We have red lines that cannot be crossed," he insisted: respect for territorial integrity, international law, sovereignty, and Greenland's right to self-determination.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was booed Tuesday at a dinner at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, the British newspaper reported Wednesday. Financial TimesDuring the event, Lutnick reportedly gave a speech in which he attacked Europe and defended the use of coal and other hydrocarbons as the main sources of energy over renewables, which provoked outrage among some of the attendees, and some, such as the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, left the event.

French President Emmanuel Macron, 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.

The military attacks and the repeated verbal threats from the United States to the sovereignty of third countries They are shaking the world order as we have known it for decades. The magnitude and significance of the White House's foreign policy is such that even Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raised concerns on Tuesday. in a speech from the Davos Forum in Switzerland, that "the old world order" will not be restored and has called on several countries to unite against the great powers that have dismantled a world based on international norms that are now "fading away."

1. "All sequences have reached their conclusion / Time cannot..."Back in 1980, the group Zombis released what is considered the founding song of the Movida Madrileña: GreenlandI was a 16-year-old kid in my second year of high school. Fascinated by Catalan and French singer-songwriters, the lyrics seemed like a trivial bit of nonsense to me, but it was impossible to avoid: they played it on every radio station. Forty-six years later, however, the first two verses of the song are enigmatically suggestive. Time loves everything.

"Crimea is no less important to Russia's security than Greenland is to the United States'." With this statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made clear what benefit he hopes to gain from the Kremlin in this matter. Donald Trump's ambitions regarding the islandFar from condemning American expansionism, Vladimir Putin is aware that the implosion of the Western order provoked by the White House fuels Russian aggression against Ukraine, legitimizes its worldview, and, incidentally, diverts attention from the daily bombings of Kyiv.

Another day with red panels on the stock markets due to geopolitical tensions and the risk of a trade war between Europe and the United States. The Ibex fell 1.34% in a session marked by selling, and the other European markets also declined, with drops ranging from 0.61% to 1.03% for the Frankfurt DAX. The Eurostoxx-50, which groups the main European stocks, closed at 5,892.08 points, down 0.57%. In this context, the dollar weakened further, while the euro strengthened to $1.17. Wall Street, which was closed on Monday, also began the day in the red. The nervousness, already noticeable on Monday although the Ibex ended the session limiting its losses, prevails because US President Donald Trump has made it clear that tariffs are one of the main instruments he intends to use to achieve his objectives. Aside from announcing additional tariffs for countries that send troops to Greenland, he warned that he would impose a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne if the country's president, Emmanuel Macron, refuses to join his "peace council" for Gaza. This opens up two simultaneous fronts affecting the markets: geopolitical tensions and a potential trade war. These variables increase uncertainty and complicate matters for investors. Given his capacity to surprise, everyone is waiting to see what Trump will say in his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the global political and economic elite gathers. Also scheduled to speak are the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; the Chinese vice premier, He Lifeng; and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron.

Europe is beginning to raise its voice against Donald Trump, following his constant threats and the US president's recent publication of [a statement/article/etc.]. private messages from Emmanuel MacronThe French president has harshly criticized the Republican leader and, echoing Ursula von der Leyen, has advocated for a sovereign European Union, especially in relation to Washington. "We cannot accept a world order decided by those who claim to have a more powerful voice. [...] We prefer respect to bullies," the French leader emphasized in a rather harsh speech at the Davos Forum against the US president. Beyond indirectly labeling Trump a "bully," Macron described as "crazy" the potential situation in which the EU would have to apply harsh countermeasures against the United States because it wants to raise tariffs on European allies again. "That would be the consequence of unpredictability and pointless aggression," the French president pointed out. Macron also contrasted Europe, where "predictability and respect for the rule of law" reign, with a world "where international law is trampled and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest, and imperialist ambitions are resurfacing." In this regard, the French president championed the European Union, with all its virtues and flaws, as a powerful economic area with great potential. "We need more stability, [...] and we prefer the rule of law to brutality. You are welcome in Europe," he added.

Donald Trump is showing no signs of easing tensions with European leaders; quite the contrary. The day before traveling to Switzerland to participate in the Davos Economic Forum, the US president insisted on the need to annex Greenland. "Look, we must have it," Trump emphasized when journalists asked him if he would meet with European leaders to discuss the Arctic island. "They can't protect it," he added. "Greenland is imperative for national and global security. There is no going back. We all agree on that!" he stated in a message on his Truth Social network, in which he explained that he had had a "very interesting" phone conversation about the Arctic island with the NATO Secretary General. In the same message, Trump said he agreed to "a meeting of the different parties" in Davos, but did not specify with whom or when. "The United States is the most powerful country on the planet, by far," he continued. And he took credit for it himself: "Much of this is due to the rebuilding of our armed forces during my first term, a rebuilding that continues at an even faster pace." Trump's conversation with Rutte came after Denmark proposed to the NATO Secretary General on Monday the establishment of a mission on the island. Several European allies have already announced the deployment of more troops to Greenland, but Copenhagen wants the mission to have NATO's support, even though the military alliance is controlled by the United States.

Donald Trump's voracious appetite could end up devouring the European Union as we know it. Former French Commissioner Thierry Breton, one of those who most fiercely confronted the Silicon Valley tech giants during Ursula von der Leyen's first term, railed this weekend against the idea of a fearful Europe subservient to the United States. Breton shared, on his social media platform X, a photograph of the tariff agreement signed between Trump and the EU last summer in Scotland and quoted one of the many sayings attributed to Winston Churchill: "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. He chose dishonor, and now he shall have war." For the moment, Trump's repertoire for the EU already includes trade war, political warfare, and territorial threats. On Sunday, Trump threatened tariffs of up to 25% on the eight European and NATO-allied countries that sent a small exploratory military contingent to Greenland as a sign of commitment to the mineral-rich Arctic island, which the United States wants to annex. In response, French President Emmanuel Macron, with the support of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, called on the European Union to activate its most powerful trade weapon, the so-called anti-coercion instrument, which can restrict US companies' access to the European single market. But the 27 member states were unable to reach an agreement on the measure on Sunday night due to the reluctance of Italy, Poland, and many Eastern European countries, which fear that Washington might retaliate by withdrawing military support for Ukraine—support that is already largely based on the Union's economic commitment.

European leaders are discovering, with a mixture of astonishment and terror, that with Donald Trump, the "he wouldn't dare" argument simply doesn't work, and that the policy of concessions to appease him not only fails but actually spurs him on to demand more and more. Trump wants Denmark to give him Greenland and threatens tariffs on anyone who supports Copenhagen. It's reasonable to think we are facing a new kind of American imperialism that even threatens to seize territory from its traditional allies. But it goes even further.

The escalating tension between the US and Europe over Greenland has weighed on stock markets. Equity markets across Europe registered declines of more than 1% at the start of the week, following Donald Trump's announcement of additional tariffs on countries sending troops to Greenland and the potential response from the European Union (EU). However, the declines moderated by the end of the day.