BRUSSELS – European Union leaders are due to meet on Thursday in Brussels to try to find a joint response to U.S. President Donald Trump over his aspirations for Greenland.
DAVOS – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would not use force to take control of Greenland, before later dropping his threat to impose new tariffs on European nations over the dispute.
Trump said he still wanted “immediate negotiations” over a U.S. acquisition of the Danish Arctic island, but talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appear to have further eased tensions.
Trump hinted at a possible Greenland agreement, which might satisfy all parties.
His speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos was highly anticipated, and Trump withdrew from a position that had threatened 80 years of comparative harmony between Western allies.
“People thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force,” the U.S. president told the forum – and many in the rest of the world that watched the livestream from the Swiss resort.
“I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” he added.
European leaders had been on edge after repeated Trump statements insisting the large island, thought to have mineral wealth, become part of the United States for national and global security reasons.
Previously, Trump had refused to rule out sending the U.S. military to fulfill his demand.
Following the meeting with Rutte, Trump withdrew threats to impose punitive tariffs on European countries supporting Denmark on his Truth Social platform.
European NATO allies have voiced solidarity with Denmark and Greenland, even sending troops there, which had led Trump to say he would impose punitive tariffs from Feb. 1 to apply pressure.
“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote.
“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America and all NATO Nations.
“Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 1.”
Trump also told U.S. broadcaster CNBC that he believed he was moving towards a permanent agreement on Greenland, saying the broad outlines of a deal were in place, though he refused to provide further details.
Asked whether the U.S. would own the island, Trump said the issue was somewhat complex but added that “it’ll be forever for Greenland at this point, forever.”
Rutte later confirmed Trump’s statements regarding a framework for a possible agreement on Greenland, but said a lot of work needed to be done among the parties involved.
Speaking to U.S. broadcaster Fox News, he said he and Trump had agreed during talks in Davos that the Arctic region needed to be protected jointly.
The NATO boss added that the U.S. would continue its talks with Greenland and Denmark, including on preventing Russia and China from gaining access to Greenland’s economy.
He described the talks as producing a “very good” outcome.
Rutte said the sides had agreed to consider what NATO could collectively contribute to ensure that the entire Arctic region is safe, emphasising the need for measures to be taken on land, at sea, and in the air to protect what he called an important part of the world and of NATO territory.
Asked whether a possible agreement would ensure that Greenland remained Danish, Rutte said the issue had not come up again in his conversations.
The focus, he said, had been on protecting Greenland.
Meanwhile, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has welcomed Trump’s announcement.
“The day is ending on a better note than it began,” Rasmussen said in a statement posted on X.
He said Denmark welcomed that Trump “has ruled out taking Greenland by force and paused the trade war.”
“Now, let’s sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD (Kingdom of Denmark),” Rasmussen added.(dpa/NAN)
PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed holding a meeting in Paris on Thursday between the G7 countries, Russia, and Denmark, U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Trump said the proposal was outlined in private text messages exchanged between the two leaders, which he shared on his Truth Social platform early Tuesday.
The Élysée Palace confirmed the authenticity of the messages to dpa.
In the messages posted on Truth Social, Macron brings up Trump’s demands that the U.S. acquire Greenland from Denmark, writing: “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.”
Trump argues that U.S. control over the world’s biggest island is necessary for U.S. and global security needs. His European NATO allies, which include Denmark, strictly oppose this.
Trump will be in Europe for the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he is due to speak on Wednesday.
Macron – as current chair of the Group of Seven Western industrialised nations – proposed that he set up a meeting of the G7 powers, plus Denmark, Russia, Ukraine, and Syria, for Thursday afternoon in Paris.
He then invited Trump to have dinner with him in the evening.
The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
From 1998 until 2014, Russia was also a member of the group, and it was consequently known as the G8.
It was excluded following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Macron’s text to Trump emphasized areas where France and the U.S. are cooperating.
He wrote: “We are totally in line in Syria. We can do great things in Iran.”
In Syria, France is working with the U.S. to promote unity and territorial integrity in Syria and to ensure compliance with the ceasefire, and remains loyal to its allies in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist militia.
Iran has been rocked this year by nationwide protests, and France called on the Iranian authorities to respect fundamental freedoms.
The next few days, however, are set to see a flurry of diplomatic activity over Greenland rather than the Middle East.
Trump has said that “a meeting of the various parties” regarding his bid for Greenland would be held in Davos.
He said he had spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a phone call about the meeting.
In another apparently private message posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform early on Tuesday, Rutte wrote that he was “committed to finding a way forward on Greenland.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday he expects to meet Trump at Davos to discuss the Greenland dispute.
Greenland is an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark.
With a population of just under 57,000, Greenland has repeatedly said it does not wish to become part of the U.S.
NATO allies also say that Greenland does not need to be taken over by the U.S. to protect the Arctic. (dpa/NAN)
WASHINGTON – German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, to hold high-level talks in Washington on Monday in light of U.S. threats of a violent takeover of Greenland and discussions about ceasefire in Ukraine.
The conservative politician had planned to meet his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio this afternoon.
In addition to Greenland and further support for Ukraine, as it continues to defend itself against the full-scale Russian invasion.
The talks are expected to focus on trans-Atlantic security and defence policy.
Wadephul had reminded the U.S. of its responsibility for freedom, self-determination and towards NATO before his departure.
U.S. President Donald Trump cited the strategic importance of Greenland, a large presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the region and the island’s natural resources as reasons for his threats.
En route to Washington, Wadephul made a stop in Iceland, roughly 300 kilometres south-east of Greenland, on Sunday for talks with his Icelandic counterpart Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir about security in the Arctic region.
Wadephul said Germany wanted to make a greater contribution to military security in the region, where the German armed forces already contributed to the maritime surveillance.
Like the U.S. and Germany, Iceland and Greenland, which officially belongs to Denmark, are members of the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance.
He departed Iceland with train journey to UN in New York.
Unexpectedly, Wadephul planned to travel by train to New York on Monday afternoon to meet UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
The background to the visit was the U.S. announcement to withdraw from 66 international organisations, including numerous UN ones.
Washington had justified the withdrawal by claiming that the organisations were not compatible with U.S. interests.
Many of these organisations deal with the environment and climate, gender equality, education, democracy, civil society and the rule of law. (dpa/NAN)
ABUJA – Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 18 passengers, including two infants, abducted by suspected sea pirates during an attack on a passenger boat travelling from Nigeria to Cameroon.
A credible Army Headquarters source told newsmen that the rescue operation was conducted on Sunday.
According to the source, the rescue followed a distress call, after pirates operating in two speedboats and a wooden boat hijacked the vessel near Kombo 4 Fishing Port, Cameroon.
The source said that the troops responded swiftly and pursued the assailants, leading to an exchange of fire.
”One pirate speedboat powered by a 15-horsepower engine capsised during the encounter, forcing the attackers to abandon their captives and flee into nearby creeks.
”All victims were rescued unharmed, while troops continued to dominate the waterways to prevent further criminal activity.
”A total of five rounds of 7.62mm NATO and four rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition were expended during the operation.
”Security operations in the area are ongoing,” the source said.
The source reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian army to sustaining operations across theatres nationwide. (NAN)
VLADIVOSTOK – Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, has claimed that NATO is rapidly mobilising resources in preparation for a potential war with Russia.
“We certainly see European members of NATO preparing for a war with our country,” Naryshkin said in a statement.
“The task has been set to quickly provide the NATO Allied Response Force, designated for this purpose, with all necessary resources.”
He added that European states were expanding their defence industries, conducting regular mobilisation exercises, and intensifying what he called “propaganda” about a potential Russian threat.
Naryshkin also accused European NATO members of lacking long-term strategies for continental security and singled out France and Germany for promoting “Russophobia.” (Xinhua/NAN)
WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has urged Western unity in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine, warning of global consequences if Moscow prevails.
“This war is also our war,” Tusk said on Monday at a security forum in Warsaw.
Russia’s war of aggression is part of a political project whose goal is to subjugate other peoples.
“If we lose this war, the consequences will affect not only our generation, but also the next generation in Poland, Europe, the United States and everywhere else in the world,” Tusk said.
Tusk dismissed any notion of compromise with Moscow, saying the only reasons for capitulation would be “weakness of will, doubt, cowardice or lack of imagination.”
Poland, one of Ukraine’s strongest political and military backers, also felt directly threatened by Russia.
During a Russian airstrike on Ukraine two and a half weeks ago, a large number of drones entered Polish and thus NATO airspace.
The Polish Air Force and other NATO allies shot down some of the drones for the first time.
Then, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly a week ago, U.S. President Donald Trump supported the shooting down of Russian aircraft if they unlawfully enter the airspace of NATO countries. (dpa/NAN)
NEW YORK- The U.S. President, Donald Trump says he ended ” seven unendable wars” in seven months.
Trump touted his success in ending intractable conflicts, trade wars while delivering his statement to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York.
Yet the UN offered little help, he said, asking: “What is the purpose of the United Nations?” It seems to write very strongly worded letters but “empty words don’t solve war”.
While some, he noted, suggested he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump said, “The real prize will be to save millions of lives.”
On Iran, the “world’s number one sponsor of terror”, he said with that country’s enrichment capabilities “completely demolished”, his administration had also brokered an end to the 12-day war.
On Ukraine, he “always thought that would be the easiest” war to end because of his relationship with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin. Instead, he said, the conflict has dragged on for three years, “killing five to seven thousand young people a week”.
He accused North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries of hypocrisy: “They are buying oil and gas from Russia when they are fighting Russia,” he said.
His proposed solution was tariffs: “If Russia does not end the war, the United States would impose very strict tariffs which would end the war very quickly, but the Europeans have to adopt them as well”.
He urged immediate action on Gaza, release of all the hostage, and warned that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State would amount to “a reward to Hamas for its horrible atrocities”.
He, however, criticized the UN on multiple fronts.
“Many years ago, I bid to rebuild the United Nations for $500 million, but they decided to go into another direction which produced a much more inferior complex.”
Instead, he said, “They spent between two and four billion dollars and did not even get the marble floors I promised them”.
On migration, he said that in 2024, the UN spent “$372 million in cash to support 624,000 migrants to journey into the United States to infiltrate our Southern border”.
He also added: “The UN is supposed to stop invasion not promote them”.
Trump also attacked climate policy and renewable energy. “Windmills are pathetic,” he said, calling the carbon footprint “a hoax”.
He argued, “If you don’t get away from the green energy scam your country is going to fail”.
Citing Germany’s struggles, he warned that “energy and open immigration is destroying Europe”.
Pointing to China’s emissions, he said: “China now produces more CO2 than all the other developed nations in the world.” (NAN)
NEW YORK – The U.S. President, Donald Trump says he ended ” seven unendable wars” in seven months.
Trump touted his success in ending intractable conflicts, trade wars while delivering his statement to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York.
Yet the UN offered little help, he said, asking: “What is the purpose of the United Nations?” It seems to write very strongly worded letters but “empty words don’t solve war”.
While some, he noted, suggested he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump said, “The real prize will be to save millions of lives.”
On Iran, the “world’s number one sponsor of terror”, he said with that country’s enrichment capabilities “completely demolished”, his administration had also brokered an end to the 12-day war.
On Ukraine, he “always thought that would be the easiest” war to end because of his relationship with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin. Instead, he said, the conflict has dragged on for three years, “killing five to seven thousand young people a week”.
He accused North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries of hypocrisy: “They are buying oil and gas from Russia when they are fighting Russia,” he said.
His proposed solution was tariffs: “If Russia does not end the war, the United States would impose very strict tariffs which would end the war very quickly, but the Europeans have to adopt them as well”.
He urged immediate action on Gaza, release of all the hostage, and warned that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State would amount to “a reward to Hamas for its horrible atrocities”.
He, however, criticized the UN on multiple fronts.
“Many years ago, I bid to rebuild the United Nations for $500 million, but they decided to go into another direction which produced a much more inferior complex.”
Instead, he said, “They spent between two and four billion dollars and did not even get the marble floors I promised them”.
On migration, he said that in 2024, the UN spent “$372 million in cash to support 624,000 migrants to journey into the United States to infiltrate our Southern border”.
He also added: “The UN is supposed to stop invasion not promote them”.
Trump also attacked climate policy and renewable energy. “Windmills are pathetic,” he said, calling the carbon footprint “a hoax”.
He argued, “If you don’t get away from the green energy scam your country is going to fail”.
Citing Germany’s struggles, he warned that “energy and open immigration is destroying Europe”.
Pointing to China’s emissions, he said: “China now produces more CO2 than all the other developed nations in the world.” (NAN)
MAKURDI – Troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have rescued one Mr Teryima Torbee, a kidnapped victim and recovered aims in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue.
This is contained in a statement by Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer, OPWS headquarters, on Monday and made available to newsmen in Makurdi.
Zubairu said that the victim was rescued around Agera Nagu in Mbagina, Michihe council ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area following credible intelligence about the activities of the criminals.
He also said that the troops carried out the operation in conjunction with operatives of the Benue Civil Protection Guard (BSCPG).
According to him, on arrival, a firefight ensued with the criminals who were overwhelmed by the firepower of the gallant soldiers.
“The criminals fled in disarray, abandoning their victim, Mr Teryima Torbee, a 43 year old man, who was immediately rescued unhurt.”
He added that exhibits recovered include one FN rifle, five magazines, and 83 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
Zubairu quoted the OPWS commander, Maj.-Gen. Moses Gara, as commending the troops for their resilience, professionalism, and swift response which ensured the safe rescue of the victim and recovery of the exhibits.
He also appreciated the cooperation of the operatives of the Civil Protection Guard and called on communities to sustain cooperation through timely information-sharing with security agencies.
He further reaffirmed the commitment of OPWS to continue its relentless operations to rid Benue and adjoining states of criminal elements.(NAN)
KIEV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia lacked the strength to mount large-scale new offensives, citing heavy troop losses after more than three and a half years of war.
“I believe that, as of now, they lack the strength for large-scale offensives,” Zelensky wrote on X, adding that Russia had suffered such significant losses that it could not launch further major actions.
Both sides rarely provide figures on their own losses, and experts consider the few numbers mentioned significantly understated.
Zelensky said Russia prepared operations this year along four axes: Sumy, Novopavlivka, Pokrovsk and Zaporizhzhya.
“The Sumy operation has already failed, Russia suffered heavy losses, especially in manpower, and has redeployed forces to other fronts,” he wrote, adding that Ukrainian forces had inflicted further casualties there.
In early August, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, had described the situation in the eastern Donetsk region along the front lines near Pokrovsk, Dobropillia and at the border with the Dnipropetrovsk region as particularly critical.
Zelensky also said Ukraine expected the imminent delivery of missiles for Patriot and HIMARS air defence systems
Under NATO’s new Prioritided Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, Kiev has received more than 2 billion U S. dollars from partners, he said.
Further funds in October would bring the total to about 3.6 billion dollars, with the first two 500 million dollars packages expected to include missiles for Patriot and HIMARS systems.
PURL is designed to coordinate arms deliveries procured in the U.S for Ukraine but financed by allied nations. (dpa/NAN)
ABUJA – The Nigerian Army says troops of Operation UDO KA have arrested a notorious IPOB/ESN commander, Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, also known as Gentle de Yahoo in Imo.
A credible source at the Army Headquarters told newsmen that the success was recorded during a raid in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo.
He said the operation was carried out on Sunday, following credible intelligence on the hideouts of the criminal kingpin.
The source said troops recovered an English pistol, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 25 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, a live cartridge, six mobile phones, as well as police and military uniforms.
He added that the troops also uncovered a criminal workshop used for dismantling stolen vehicles of kidnapped victims, where 10 motorcycles were destroyed.
According to him, the operation dealt a major blow to the activities of IPOB/ESN elements involved in kidnapping, arms possession, impersonation and sale of stolen vehicle parts in the South East.
The source further said the Nigerian Army remained committed to dismantling terrorist and criminal networks threatening peace and security in the region.
He urged residents to continue to support troops with timely and credible information to help rid the South East of criminal elements.(NAN)
BEIJING – China has threatened consequences after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded that all NATO countries impose high tariffs on Chinese goods and stop buying Russian oil.
“If China’s interests are harmed, the People’s Republic will take countermeasures and defend its security and development interests,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Monday in Beijing.
He called the U.S. position a “typical case of unilateral harassment.”
In a separate statement, China’s Ministry of Commerce urged the U.S. to exercise caution and resolve trade and economic differences through dialogue.
Trump recently linked further U.S. sanctions on Russia to all NATO members imposing tariffs of 50 per cent to 100 per cent on Chinese imports and halting purchases of Russian oil.
He argued this would pressure China to use its influence on Moscow and help bring Russia to the negotiating table.
According to Trump, the proposed tariffs would be lifted once the war in Ukraine ends.
While China has positioned itself as neutral in the war, it remains a close and influential partner of Moscow.
Beijing has offered proposals to resolve the conflict, but Kyiv has rejected them, saying they align mostly with Russian demands.
Trump’s remarks coincided with ongoing U.S.-China talks in Spain, where representatives from both countries are discussing trade relations.
The long-standing tariff dispute between Washington and Beijing escalated earlier this year, with both sides imposing surcharges exceeding 100 per cent on various imports. A pause in the trade dispute remains in place until November.(dpa/NAN)
LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly condemned Russia’s drone incursion into Polish and NATO airspace, describing it as an “egregious and unprecedented violation” and reaffirming the UK’s support for both Poland and Ukraine.
“This morning’s barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones is deeply concerning.
“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day,” Starmer said in a statement.
He added that he had spoken with the Polish Prime Minister to express the UK’s solidarity and praied NATO and Polish forces for their swift response.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey also condemned Russia’s actions as “reckless, unprecedented and dangerous” during remarks ahead of defence talks in London with officials from Poland, Italy, France, and Germany.
Healey highlighted the escalation, noting that Poland’s direct defensive military action, shooting down multiple Russian drones that violated its airspace, was the first of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Russia’s actions are reckless, unprecedented and dangerous.
“We totally condemn these attacks, and we say to President Putin: your aggression only strengthens the unity between NATO nations,” Healey said. (dpa/NAN)
WASHINGTON – Following the U.S.-Russian summit in Alaska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday to discuss further steps towards ending the war in Ukraine.
He would be accompanied by European allies, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have also said they will attend.
Prior to the meeting, Zelensky called for NATO-style security guarantees for his country.
According to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, a pledge of support similar to that within NATO is being discussed, which the United States and European countries could provide, though not within the framework of the alliance.
After his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Trump backed away from his central demand for a ceasefire as a condition for peace negotiations.
Instead, he wants to talk directly about a peace agreement in line with Putin’s wishes.
However, ideas on this still differ widely.
Russia continues to demand that Ukraine relinquish territories, which Zelensky has categorically denied. (dpa/NAN)
WARSAW – Poland has urged that Ukraine be directly involved in any peace settlement with Russia, ahead of a high-stakes meeting on Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“For Poland, our European partners – and hopefully for the entire NATO alliance – it must be clear that national borders cannot be changed by force.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said this on Monday in the northern city of Bydgoszcz.
He added that any decisions on possible territorial swaps or other terms of a peace agreement should only be made with Ukraine’s participation.
Trump and Putin are due to meet on Friday in the U.S. state of Alaska to discuss a possible resolution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Trump has framed the meeting as an attempt to move closer to ending the fighting, and last week spoke of “swapping” portions of territory as part of a “very complicated” deal.
Poland, an EU and NATO member is one of Ukraine’s most important political and military allies.
The country, also a key logistics hub for Western military aid to Kiev and, feeling threatened by Russia itself, is undertaking a major military build-up. (dpa/NAN)
