During a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, Donald Trump pulled back from his threats against Europe over his quest to acquire Greenland, pledging not to use military force. He also retracted his threats to place tariffs on several European countries after he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met and apparently came to an agreement on “the framework of a future deal.” While details remain murky, according to Reuters, the two agreed “on further talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland on updating a 1951 agreement that governs U.S. military access and presence on the Arctic island” and that the deal would “[prohibit] Chinese and Russian investments in Greenland.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made waves in Davos as well with his speech, which warned the international community of the end of the post-World War II American-led rules-based order, saying, “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” After his speech, Trump fired back with a veiled threat: “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.” Carney responded, “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”