Here's the latest
• Ukraine talks: After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, US President Donald Trump said there’s still “a ways to go” on ending Russia’s war. Zelensky noted that documents aimed at stopping the conflict are “nearly ready” and also called out Europe for inaction.
• Greenland deal progress: Trump said negotiations regarding Greenland currently give US “total access” for defense. While Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reached a verbal understanding about Greenland yesterday, no document has been produced yet memorializing a future deal, sources say.
• “Board of Peace”: Trump earlier unveiled his “Board of Peace,” which is tasked with rebuilding Gaza and resolving global conflicts, in a signing ceremony attended by fewer than 20 countries. He called Gaza a “beautiful piece of property” when talking about reconstruction of the war-torn strip.
Zelensky praises France for intercepting Russian tanker after criticizing Europe for inaction
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky praised France for intercepting a sanctioned Russian tanker in the Mediterranean on Thursday, saying this was “exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia’s war.”
French President Emmanuel Macron announced earlier on Thursday that the French navy intercepted the tanker with the help of several allies.
British Defence Secretary John Healey said later that the United Kingdom provided tracking and monitoring in support of the French operation to board the tanker Grinch.
Macron said the tanker, which was suspected of flying a false flag, was diverted and that a judicial investigation has been opened.
“The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine,” he added.
The Russian state news agency TASS quoted the Russian embassy in France as saying that French authorities had not informed it of the operation, and added it was investigating whether any Russian citizens were among the crew.
Zelensky’s praise for the operation came after the Ukrainian leader scolded Kyiv’s European allies for their inaction when it comes to Russia’s war in Ukraine, comparing it to their behavior surrounding Greenland in recent days.
JD Vance likens the US economy to the Titanic
At a speech in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said the United States economy has “an affordability crisis,” but added that it was one created by former President Joe Biden.
“You don’t turn the Titanic around overnight,” Vance said.
After bringing up the Titanic, he said, “It takes time to fix what was broken.” (The Titanic couldn’t turn around after it hit an iceberg and sustained irreparable damage and ultimately sank.) A spokesperson for Vance didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
His comments come at a time when many Americans are experiencing mounting financial stress. Increasingly, more Americans are late at paying bills and they’re seeing wage growth slow and job opportunities vanish.
Greenlanders welcome Trump’s apparent U-turn
Residents in Greenland have reacted cautiously to US President Donald Trump’s apparent U-turn on using force to take control of the territory, welcoming his change of heart, while remaining skeptical about his actions.
CNN’s Nic Robertson spoke to residents in the capital Nuuk, finding a mix of relief and lingering anxiety driven by what many described as the US president’s unpredictability.
Another resident, Aqqalu Frederiksen, said he felt some reassurance after Trump signaled he would not use force to acquire the island, but stressed that doubts persist.
Frederiksen went on to describe Trump’s initial threats as “quite terrifying,” pointing to the US capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Robertson also spoke to Greenlandic member of parliament Margrethe Thårup Andersen, asking whether the threat of Trump attempting to take over the territory had now passed.
Despite those concerns, many Greenlanders said their trust lies firmly with Denmark, the European Union and Greenland’s own government.
“I trust the European Union. I trust Denmark. And our Greenlandic government,” Putsi said.
Greenland’s prime minister says sovereignty is a "red line" in any deal
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Thursday that he wasn’t sure “what’s concrete” in US President Donald Trump’s announced “framework” for a “future deal” on Greenland.
Trump yesterday announced that he had achieved the new “framework” after a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Nielsen said he understood that at that meeting, Rutte “delivered the message that we actually have delivered a couple of days ago with our representative from the government of Greenland.”
The prime minister added that Greenland is open to any number of plans to further integrate into NATO, including through a “permanent mission” on the island, so long as any plans emerge from a baseline of “respect” for their sovereignty.
“We have a responsibility,” Nielsen said. “So, let’s talk about it through the right channels, in a respectful manner. Then I’m sure we can work something out that benefits.”
Greenland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a “red line,” Nielsen continued. Earlier in the press conference, he told reporters that Greenland’s position is clear.
Ukraine, US and Russia will hold trilateral meeting in UAE starting Friday, Zelensky says
Ukrainian, US and Russian officials are to hold a trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday, in a sign that peace talks to end the war in Ukraine are intensifying.
The two-day meeting will take place on Friday and Saturday, the Ukrainian leader said as he delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Speaking to reporters later, Zelensky revealed that the Ukrainian delegation will include the head and deputy head of his presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov and Serhii Kyslytsia; the head of the parliamentary faction of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party and negotiator, David Arakhamia; and the Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov.
“I asked Hnatov to fly in from Kyiv; the military must be present,” Zelensky told the reporters.
“We are at the moment when, I think, if all the sides will work a lot, we will end this war, but if somebody will play the games, I don’t know who, but I’m just sharing with you. If someone will play games, the war will continue,” he said.
Analysis: A strident Zelensky seeks to spur European allies into action
This was a very strident broadside by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky against European leaders he says have not done enough over the past year. They remain, he said, “in Greenland mode, maybe someone, somewhere will do something.”
Zelensky thanked France and the UK for offering troops in the event of a peace deal, but otherwise tried to stir European leaders – still reeling from US President Donald Trump’s whirlwind of noise around Greenland – into action to forge a new world order. “We need something to replace the old world order with, but where are the leaders to do that?” he said.
Zelensky revealed plans for US, Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet in the United Arab Emirates in the coming days, for what would mark the first trilateral meeting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump had floated such an idea late last year – and Russia rejected it. That it is now likely happening might suggest some progress in peace talks, if only on the procedural front.
The speech’s tone – defiant against a part of Europe that has been Zelensky’s key support base – was designed to appeal to the White House. Parts of it would have pleased both US Vice-President JD Vance and Trump himself. But it was also designed to use the embarrassment and vertigo of the Greenland crisis to urge sedentary European leaders into real action.
Zelensky was complimentary about how Trump’s snatching of Venezuela’s former president Nicolas Maduro led to him facing trial in New York. But he reminded Europeans that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin did not face a similar fate, and that the people of Iran had been left to face the brutality of their security forces. He danced around the issue of US weapons supplies, saying he had discussed air defenses with Trump, but that he had been advised not to mention the US Tomahawk missiles Ukraine urgently wants.
Zelensky wanted to leave a mark on his European hosts that Trump would appreciate and convey the idea that the peace process has momentum, saying the documents were “almost ready.”
The answer to the key question of whether Putin will sign up to them likely leans towards the negative.
No written document has been produced on future deal framework for Greenland, sources say
President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reached a verbal understanding about Greenland during their meeting yesterday, but no document has been produced yet memorializing a future deal, people familiar with their discussion told CNN.
Trump and Rutte agreed to further discussions about updating a 1951 agreement between the US, Denmark and Greenland that governs the US military’s presence on the island, the sources said. The deal framework also guarantees that Russia and China will be barred from any investments in Greenland and lays out an enhanced role for NATO in Greenland, they said.
Two sources said another element of a possible deal is increased US access to Greenland’s natural resources. Rutte on Thursday denied that he had discussed this issue with Trump directly.
One person familiar with the discussions said Rutte did not want any formal documents prepared during his meeting with Trump because he was concerned they could leak — or be posted by Trump himself on social media. Trump earlier this week posted a private message Rutte sent to him ahead of their talks.
The lack of any written documentation has caused some confusion among NATO allies about what was actually agreed upon.
"Europe finally showed some backbone" on Trump's threats, Slovenian prime minister tells CNN
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Globb urged European leaders to move forward in solidarity as they face the prospect of a new world order that shifts away from decades-long norms.
Speaking to CNN’s Becky Anderson, the statesman expressed his empathy for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying, “I understand rather well the frustration uttered by President Zelensky … I know the root cause for it, it’s not a new thing.”
The prime minister reflected positively on the bloc’s recent response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to raise tariffs on his NATO allies and annex Greenland from Denmark.
“Europe is only strong when it’s united,” he said, adding his approval of NATO’s decision to hold out and defy Trump’s demands. “In the last week, Europe finally showed some backbone,” he said.
Globb joined British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, among much of Europe, in declining the US president’s offer to sit on his newly founded “Board of Peace.” When asked about Trump’s wish to have it work with the United Nations, Globb said: “No mechanism can be … parallel to the United Nations.”
And on the future of NATO, Slovenia’s leader said that while the line demarking the organization’s dissolution has not yet been crossed, recent events have brought the alliance “close to it.”
"We gotta get by with a little help from our friends," Danish PM tells UK's Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen to Chequers, his official country home outside London, today for a bilateral meeting, as Denmark faces continued pressure from the United States over Greenland.
Frederiksen thanked Starmer for his support, calling Britain one of Denmark’s “oldest and most important allies,” and stressed the importance of a strong alliance during what she described as a difficult period.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
The latest from Trump on Greenland: President Donald Trump said earlier today that negotiations regarding Greenland currently give US “total access” for defense. “It’s really being negotiated now, the details of it, but essentially it’s total access. It’s there’s no end, there’s no time limit,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo.
Trump and Zelensky met in Davos today. Here’s what each had to say about the meeting
US President Donald Trump said he had a good meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos, Switzerland, today, but added that there’s still “a ways to go” toward ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“The war has to end,” he said as he emerged from the meeting. “We hope it’s going to end. There are a lot of people being killed.”
“It’s an ongoing process,” Trump added. “Everybody wants to have the war end.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the meeting was “positive,” adding that was “enough” to say about it.
The Ukrainian president said the “last mile” of negotiations “is very difficult.”
“During any dialogue, with any president, I have to defend the interests of my country. That’s why the dialogue is maybe, it’s not simple,” he said. “But it was today. It was positive.”
Zelensky’s comments came after his speech at the World Economic Forum, during which he called out European leaders on their inaction when it comes to the war in Ukraine, comparing it to their behavior surrounding Greenland in recent days.
CNN’s Kaitlin Collins explains more about what we know so far:
President Trump has said that the Ukraine war 'has to end' after meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky in a private bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports.
Vance on Greenland: US will "keep on trying to make sure that we secure that land mass"
Vice President JD Vance said the United States will “keep on trying to make sure that we secure that land mass” as he addressed the negotiations about US access to Greenland on Thursday.
Vance’s comment came in response to a reporter’s question about his understanding of the framework of a future deal over Greenland. While Vance did not answer that directly, he stressed US national security interests in the island.
“We would need control over the Arctic in order to shoot that missile down. Our entire missile defense system defends depends on that arctic security,” Vance said while taking questions from reporters in Toledo, Ohio.
Of the deal framework, Vance said the “negotiations with NATO are going fine.”
Documents to end Ukraine war "nearly ready," Zelensky says
“Documents aimed at ending this war” against Ukraine are “nearly ready,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Davos, Switzerland, after meeting with US President Donald Trump today.
Both US and Ukrainian teams are working on ending the conflict “almost every day,” Zelensky said.
“Ukraine is working with full honesty and determination, and that brings results, and Russia must become ready too to finish this war, to stop this aggression,” he added.
Zelensky calls out Europe on inaction, saying it is in “Greenland mode”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called out European leaders on their inaction when it comes to the war on Ukraine, comparing it to their behavior surrounding Greenland in recent days.
“Everyone turned attention to Greenland, and it’s clear most leaders simply are not sure what to do about it. And it seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it will not, what then?” Zelensky questioned.
“You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases, or you risk not being taken seriously,” Zelensky said about Greenland, echoing what US President Donald Trump has said about the security of the Arctic region. “Because 40 soldiers will not protect anything.”
Zelensky warned of Russian warships “sailing freely around Greenland,” and he offered Urkaine’s expertise and weapons “to ensure not one of those ships remains.”
“They can sink near Greenland, just as they do near Crimea,” he added. “We can take actions and we know how to fight there, if we were asked, and if Ukraine were in NATO — but we are not.”
Europe is a "beautiful but fragmented" kaleidoscope, Zelensky says
Europe is a “beautiful but fragmented” kaleidoscope of “small and middle” powers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his speech at Davos, as he criticized the bloc of “looking lost.”
Europe too reliant on US, Zelensky says: "Europe needs united armed forces"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Europe is too reliant on the US for its security, as he questioned the response from NATO if Russia was to invade another European nation.
“Europe needs united armed forces, forces that can truly defend Europe today,” he said during his speech in Davos.
“Europe relies only on that belief that if danger comes, NATO will act, but no one has really seen the alliance in action.”
He questioned who would respond if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to invade Lithuania or strike Poland.
“Right now NATO exists thanks to the belief that the United States will act, that it will not stand aside and will help,” Zelensky said.
“But what if it doesn’t? Believe me, this question is everywhere in the minds of every European leader.”
Zelensky: "Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized a lack of progress on establishing a special tribunal for Russian aggression at the International Criminal Court (ICC), as he said that “too often in Europe something else is more urgent than justice.”
Zelensky made the comments in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, shortly after having a closed-door meeting with US President Donald Trump.
“There is still no real progress on establishing a special tribunal for Russian aggression against Ukraine, against the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said.
“Many meetings have taken place but still Europe hasn’t reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal, with staff and actual work happening inside.”
“What’s missing, time or political will?”
Zelensky did however add that he was “grateful” to be working with partners on security guarantees for Ukraine after the war ends.
Trump indicates Iran "wants to talk"
President Donald Trump appeared to indicate that diplomatic channels between the US and Iran would reopen during a speech at the World Economic Forum earlier today.
Remember: Earlier this month, tensions between the US and Iran rose once again following the Iranian regime’s crackdown against anti-government demonstrations. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, acknowledged that thousands of Iranians were killed in the unrest, deaths he blamed on Trump without mentioning the brutal tactics of Iran’s security forces.
The Trump administration had considered striking Iran in retaliation before Trump declared “very important sources on the other side” had informed him the killing had stopped — suggesting there was now no imminent threat of military action.
Following his remarks today, Trump refused to answer Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo when she tried to press him on whether he would reconsider if there was another deadly crackdown in Iran.
“I don’t want to talk about that, because I don’t want to put myself in a position,” he said. “I don’t want to say it, because I think it would be stupid for me to say that.
"We're going to fight like hell": Trump recognizes uphill midterm battle
President Donald Trump today recognized that Republicans might have a tough midterm election this year, pointing to the fact that the party of the president usually loses in the midterms.
“There’s something psychological that if you’re president, no matter how well you’re doing, you don’t do well in the midterms,” Trump told Fox Business in an interview from Davos, Switzerland, where the president attended the World Economic Forum.
With the threat of another government shutdown at the end of the month, Trump said the federal government is likely to shut down again and blamed Democrats.
Trump also said he would like to see a reconciliation package, but added that passing his budget could be hard given the thin GOP majority.
“It’s hard when you have a majority by three,” Trump said. He called out Republican Reps. Thomas Massie and Rand Paul who have previously broken with the party on major votes.
Trump vows retaliation if European countries sell US stocks and bonds
President Donald Trump said today that the US will retaliate if European countries sell US stocks and bonds in response to the president’s ambition of acquiring Greenland and his pressure campaign on NATO allies.
“We have all the cards,” the president added while speaking to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo from Davos, Switzerland.
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Denmark — which maintains territorial control over Greenland — and its investment in the US are “irrelevant” after the European country’s pension fund announced it would unwind its investment in US government bonds because of “poor government finances.”
The $100 million makes up a very small portion of the $30.8 trillion US Treasury market but Denmark itself holds just under $10 billion worth of US bonds. That investment has been on the decline for several years – the country held just under $18 billion of US Treasuries as recently as 2021.
Trump urges defense companies to make weapons faster
President Donald Trump today touted US weapons as being the “best,” but urged defense companies to make them “faster.”
“We have the best equipment in the world — the Patriots, Tomahawks, the F35s — all of our equipment is the best,” Trump told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in an interview from Davos, Switzerland. “Other countries want it and we want it. We need more. It takes too long to get it.”
He later added: “We have to make it faster.”
Earlier this month, Trump threatened defense contracting companies, saying he would seek to limit stock buybacks and executive salaries unless they improve their delivery of weapons systems to the US military.
