Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Europe is ready to strengthen security in Greenland and the Arctic but will not accept pressure or coercion.
The comments framed broader transatlantic tensions at Davos, alongside Canada’s call for middle powers to unite and Trump’s rejection of a G7 meeting proposed by Macron.
Will Not Be Blackmailed: Swedish PM Says As Tensions With US Mount
His remarks came amid growing European unease over US tariff threats and President Trump’s suggestions about taking control of Greenland for security reasons.
Summary
As world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, growing tensions between the United States and Europe dominated discussions, with European leaders pushing back against US tariff threats and President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions that Washington could take control of Greenland for “security reasons”.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he “would not speculate” on whether the Nato alliance had been damaged beyond repair by Trump’s remarks. Speaking to the Associated Press on the sidelines of Davos, Kristersson said Europeans were prepared to strengthen security in Greenland and across the Arctic but stressed that “we will not accept to be blackmailed”. Sweden joined Nato in 2024.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also struck a warning note in Davos, saying the “old order is not coming back” and urging middle powers to unite as global geopolitics fractures. He argued that major powers were increasingly using tariffs and economic pressure to advance their interests, drawing applause when he reaffirmed Canada’s support for Greenland, Denmark and the Nato alliance.
Against this backdrop, Trump said he would not attend the emergency G7 meeting in Paris convened by French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at a White House briefing marking the completion of the first year of his second term, Trump was asked about a “private message” from Macron proposing the meeting in Paris.
The US president responded by criticising the French leader and questioning the longevity of his political future.
“No, I wouldn’t do that…Because Emmanuel is not going to be there very long and there’s no longevity there,” he said.
Trump’s remarks came after he shared a screenshot of private messages from Macron, in which the French president suggested organising a G7 meeting in Paris following the Davos summit on Thursday. Macron proposed inviting representatives from Ukraine, Denmark, Syria and Russia.
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