US President Donald Trump on Thursday said his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos was “good”, adding that the war in Ukraine “has to end”.
The meeting, held on Trump’s second day at the Davos summit, lasted about an hour and focused on the possibility of a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
“The meeting was good with President Zelensky. We’ll see how it turns out,” AFP quoted Trump as saying after the talks.
‘Board Of Peace’ Launched At Davos
Earlier in the day, Trump unveiled the ‘Board of Peace’, a new body aimed at resolving international conflicts. Several world leaders joined him on stage for the launch and signed the charter for the board.
Tariff Threats Over Greenland Withdrawn
On Wednesday, Trump withdrew the tariffs he had threatened against eight European countries in an effort to push for US control over Greenland. The reversal followed discussions with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the Davos summit.
Trump said he would drop tariffs of up to 25 per cent, which he had announced only days earlier and which were due to take effect from February 1 on Denmark and several close European allies that had sent troops to Greenland in a show of support.
What Is the Greenland ‘Framework’?
In a social media post, Trump said a “very productive meeting” with NATO’s leader had resulted in a “framework” for a possible agreement on Greenland and Arctic security.
NATO also described the talks as “very productive” and said any work on the framework mentioned by Trump would focus on maintaining security in the Arctic region.
However, Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that the question of whether Greenland would remain part of Denmark did not arise during his discussions with Trump.
Greenland And Strategic Concerns
Trump has previously said on several occasions that Washington must own Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Danish kingdom that hosts a US airbase, to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence in the strategically located and mineral-rich Arctic region.
Relief in Denmark After Policy U-Turn
Trump’s earlier warnings had triggered one of the most serious transatlantic crises in decades, raising concerns that his stance could weaken NATO through pressure on a fellow member state.
His shift in tone brought relief in Denmark, a long-standing US ally, where the threats had sparked shock and a sense of betrayal.
“Trump said that he will pause the trade war, he says, ‘I will not attack Greenland’. These are positive messages,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR.
EU Puts US Trade Deal On Hold
Meanwhile, a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union has been put on hold after the European Parliament decided to pause a ratification vote in response to Trump’s Greenland-linked threats.
The Parliament’s trade committee had been expected to set its position during votes scheduled for January 26–27, but these have now been delayed.
In a statement, Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament’s trade committee, said:
“By threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an EU member state and by using tariffs as a coercive instrument, the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU-US trade relations.”
