Key occasions
‘As much as Europe to outline the way forward for our continent,’ Danish PM says in Berlin
Denmark’s Frederiksen spoke in Berlin over the past hour, the place she begun her European tour assembly German chancellor Olof Scholz.
She didn’t explicitly reference US president Donald Trump or Greenland, however let’s see if you happen to can spot a sure theme or subtext in her feedback.
This morning, we face extra unsure actuality, a actuality that requires an much more united Europe and for extra cooperation. Our ties are rooted in our historical past, our values, and in our pursuits, in Europe and likewise throughout the Atlantic. …
We’d like a stronger and a extra resolute Europe standing more and more in its personal proper, able to defending and selling Europe and the European pursuits. It’s as much as Europe to outline the way forward for our continent. I feel we’ve to take extra accountability for our personal safety. …
Europe, our continent, relies on the concept of that cooperation quite than confrontation will result in peace, to progress, to prosperity, and allow us to honour that concept.
Now, shortly a remaining phrase on yesterday’s occasion in Oświęcim and the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German focus camp in Auschwitz.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Henley was there and right here is his report.
On a day of startling blue skies, Auschwitz survivors stood earlier than princes and presidents on Monday to remind the world, maybe for the ultimate time, of the horrors they suffered there throughout one of many darkest moments of human historical past.
Beneath a white marquee erected in entrance of the gate to the previous Nazi loss of life camp, 4 former inmates – the youngest 86, the oldest 99 – warned world leaders on the eightieth anniversary of its liberation in opposition to the hazard of rising antisemitism.
For detailed minute-by-minute protection, test our Europe stay weblog from yesterday.
Morning opening: With mates like these
Jakub Krupa
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen travels to Berlin, Paris and Brussels at quick discover as we speak as she seeks to hunt European unity in response to US president Donald Trump’s repeated plans to “get” Greenland.
“Denmark is a small nation with robust allies. And it’s a part of a powerful European group the place collectively we are able to meet the challenges we face. … With struggle on the continent and modifications in geopolitical actuality, … unity is essential,” she stated in a press release in Danish printed final evening.
Her journey comes after an identical show-of-unity assembly over the weekend when she hosted the prime ministers of Sweden and Norway and the president of Finland in Copenhagen for what regarded like the cosiest, most relaxed dinner between world leaders ever.
However footage will be deceiving.
On Monday, Denmark introduced plans to take a position £1.65bn ($2bn) to spice up its safety within the Arctic area with new ships, long-range drones, and satellites to assist police the world. One of many priorities is tellingly named “asserting the sovereignty.” (No phrase on further canine sleds, which Trump ridiculed final week.)
Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated the nation’s intelligence providers warned in opposition to a higher-than-usual menace degree within the area. And presumably, they don’t simply imply the same old suspects within the Russians and the Chinese language.
Even placing army stress apart, the US is Denmark’s largest export market, with pharmaceutical, equipment, and technical tools prime of the checklist. Any disruption – for instance, via Trump’s favorite phrase, tariffs – would damage and will simply escalate shortly because the EU could be anticipated to reply as a bloc.
Danish parliament speaker Søren Gade stated this morning within the Danish press that Trump’s phrases on Greenland felt “like a kick within the intestine” after years of shut cooperation inside Nato, with Danish troops becoming a member of US missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a telling passage of his interview with the Politiken newspaper, he stated he would often belief the US and comply with the nation’s view on defence points. Nonetheless, even he’s bewildered by the present diplomatic disaster.
According to what the Monetary Occasions is reporting as a deliberate tactic to keep away from additional public confrontation with Trump, EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas sought to play the state of affairs down when she addressed reporters yesterday.
She backed Denmark however insisted that “we’re not negotiating on Greenland,” and “we shouldn’t additionally go into hypothesis about what-ifs as a result of this isn’t the state of affairs proper now.”
However the nerves are palpable, and Frederiksen is not going to need to take dangers. That’s why she is off round Europe.
On Tuesday morning, she stated that “we’d like a stronger and extra resolute Europe, standing more and more in its personal proper” within the context of rising Russian and Chinese language challenges.
May she imply another person, too?
It’s Tuesday, 28 January 2025, and that is Europe stay. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
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