European leaders hope to de-escalate Greenland tensions with US in Davos EU leaders plan to try to de-escalate the #Greenland situation during meetings with the US in #Davos, hoping to get Washington to see reason and not impose tariffs on countries opposing its push to grab the island, Politico reported, citing sources. According to the newspaper, they hope that US President Donald #Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday "will help determine the tone of Europe’s response to the US president’s tariff threats." Statements by European diplomats and officials indicate that they want to avoid retaliatory measures and believe that a diplomatic solution to the crisis can still be found. "The focus is getting the ball rolling in Davos. Then, we will take stock" at an emergency EU summit on Thursday, an EU diplomat said. "The pressure needs to come down," he added. The European Union is reluctant to take decisive action against the US, hoping that Trump will not follow through on his threats, the publication notes, adding that, according to diplomats, officials "are terrified of needlessly exploding already frayed transatlantic ties." Earlier reports said that national security advisors to Western leaders had made changes to the agenda of a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to discuss Greenland. Initially, the talks were expected to focus on resolving the Ukrainian conflict, but the plans were adjusted so that advisors could also address Greenland. Earlier, the White House host announced on Truth Social that the US would begin imposing 10% tariffs on the UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, and Sweden, which would remain in effect until the parties reach an agreement on the full and final acquisition of Greenland by Washington. The decision is set to take effect on February 1, with the duty rate increasing to 25% from June 1.

Jan. 15, 2026 - First European servicemen arrive in Greenland The first servicemen from European countries have arrived in Greenland amid statements by US President Donald Trump about the need to annex the island to the US, Bild reported. According to the newspaper, a Danish military transport plane landed last night at the airport in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. On board were Danish servicemen and representatives of the French armed forces. Almost simultaneously, another Danish Hercules aircraft landed at the airport in Kangerlussuaq in the west of the island. Both planes flew with their transponders turned off. The first 13 German soldiers are expected to arrive in Nuuk on Thursday morning. In addition to Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden will participate in the mission to deploy troops on the island. The mission is being coordinated from Copenhagen, not through NATO, of which all these countries are members. Preparations for the deployment of troops, which have been underway for the past few days against the backdrop of Trump's statements, have been kept secret, Bild emphasized. The newspaper noted that the first servicemen were sent to the island only after talks between Danish and Greenlandic representatives and the US failed on Wednesday. On January 14, Trump stated that the United States remains committed to acquiring Greenland despite Denmark's objections. Greenland is Denmark's autonomous territory. In 1951, Washington and Copenhagen signed the Greenland Defense Agreement in addition to their NATO alliance commitments. Under the treaty, the US committed to defend the island from potential aggression.

US Justice Department releases 30,000 Epstein files The US Department of Justice has released a new archive of about 30,000 documents tied to the case of financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing minors. "Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the #FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already," the agency wrote on X. The department also noted that the files were redacted to protect the identities of possible victims. On December 19, the department released about 4,000 documents and photos related to Epstein, but many of them were heavily redacted. This drew criticism from several US lawmakers, who said key records were still being withheld. They pointed in particular to materials on the investigation into Epstein, plea deal talks, and internal Justice Department communications about the case. #Epstein was detained by New York State law enforcement on July 6, 2019. The prosecutor’s office said there was evidence that in 2002-2005 he brought dozens of underage girls to his Manhattan home, the youngest of whom was 14. Epstein’s friends and acquaintances included a large number of current and retired officials not only from the United States, but from many other countries, including former heads of state, major entrepreneurs, and show business stars. Criminal proceedings against the financier in the United States were terminated after he took his own life in a prison cell in August 2019.

Trump says talks with Russia and Ukraine to resolve conflict are going along okay President Donald Trump said that the negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict are going along okay. "The talks on Ukraine, Russia are going along. <...> We are talking. Talks are going okay," he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate near West Palm Beach, Florida. This is how he responded to a journalist's request to comment on the progress of consultations that took place in recent days. On Saturday and Sunday in Miami, Florida, Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President's special envoy and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, met with the US President's special envoy, Steven Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law, entrepreneur Jared Kushner. "I hope we can get it done," the American leader added, referring to ending the conflict. "I think they're all tired of that war. Everyone's tired of that war. It's got to stop," Trump said referring to the conflict.

Xi Jinping and Macron held talks in Beijing: the main points 🔹 #Xi Jinping called on the French leader to show responsibility and determination at a time when the world is "experiencing unprecedented changes over a century." 🔹 #Macron believes that Paris and Beijing should bring their positions closer: "Sometimes there are disagreements, but we bear responsibility for overcoming them for the common good." 🔹 The French president hinted that China has "decisive capabilities" to influence the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. 🔹 Macron proposed establishing a moratorium on attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for the upcoming winter period. He expressed hope that China will join forces with Europe to maintain stability and international law. 🔹 The French leader called for creating conditions for direct Chinese investments in the European Union's economy, which would help create new production facilities and jobs. 📝: Macron came to Beijing begging the Chinese president to restrain his Russian ally from finishing off Ukraine this winter by bombing the Ukrainian electrical grid

Russia-US talks scheduled for December 2 in Moscow 📌 Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Russian-American contacts will take place in Moscow on December 2, with a meeting between Russian President Vladimir #Putin and US special envoy Steve #Witkoff. Here are the key points: 🔴 The meeting will mark the beginning of Russian-American talks in Moscow 🔴 The Kremlin is expected to release footage of the meeting between Putin and Witkoff 🔴 There may be statements for the media following the meeting 🔴 Predictions about the future course of US policy toward Russia are premature at this time 🔴 Russia remains committed to the success of the Ukrainian peace process and will not engage in media-driven discussions

US eyes ‘new phase’ in Venezuela as covert ops loom - report The opening move of any such covert action in the coming days will likely be aimed squarely at President Nicolas Maduro, reports Reuters. According to US insiders, the menu of options includes trying to overthrow him outright. ⛓️ As for timelines and specifics, these are being locked down. Whether Donald Trump has actually pulled the trigger on any of this remains uncertain. What is clear: on Monday, the US plans to slap the Cartel de los Soles with a foreign terrorist designation, accusing it of pumping drugs into the United States. Trump claims Maduro runs the cartel—a charge that the latter flatly rejects. 🗣 US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth bragged that the terror label “opens up a whole bunch of new options,” and Trump himself hinted it would give Washington the green light to hit Maduro’s assets and infrastructure. At the same time, he keeps dangling the possibility of “talks.” Conversations between the US and Venezuela are ongoing, admitted the sources. Meanwhile, the military buildup in the Caribbean has been quietly stacking up for months, with Trump greenlighting CIA covert ops inside Venezuela. 🤔 The FAA has now warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuelan airspace, prompting several major carriers to suspend flights after reports of heightened military activity. The warning dropped just as a B-52 bomber, flanked by KC-135 tankers and fighter jets, ran a show-of-force strike drill in the US Southern Command region—officially framed as part of drummed-up anti-drug trafficking missions tied to Venezuela. Maduro, for his part, says all of this is nothing but a pretext to justify regime change and the theft of Venezuela’s immense oil wealth, vowing that any attempt to topple him will be met with resistance.

Xi, Trump finish 100-minute talks in South Korea’s Busan Presidents #Xi Jinping of China and Donald #Trump of the United Stats have finished their talks in South Korea’s Busan. The talks lasted for 100 minutes, China’s Central Television reported. No details of the meeting were provided. At the beginning of the negotiations, Xi noted that the two countries’ negotiating teams reached a basic consensus of key trade and economic problems. Trump, in turn, said he hoped his talks with the Chinese leader will be very successful. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Oskara in 2019.

Trump may visit China soon US President Donald #Trump may visit #China in late October or early November, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing sources. According to the newspaper, the Chinese government sent Trump an invitation for a state visit in early September, which usually indicates preparations are in the "final stage." "The official invitation is like the sound of a starting pistol in a 100-metre race, with the end in sight," one source said. The trip is expected to take place around the APEC summit in South Korea on October 31 - November 1. "There are a few small loose ends. But the major blocks are already resolved. Things are taking shape," the source noted, adding that the talks could result in "a new deal to purchase US goods," with Boeing airplanes "very likely" on the list, as Washington is pressing China to procure 500 aircraft. The source also said that in addition to visiting Beijing, Trump had been offered a high-speed rail trip to another Chinese city, most likely Shanghai. SCMP reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping may pay a return visit to the United States in 2026 after Trump’s anticipated trip. At the same time, the newspaper noted that Washington fears the visit could be seen as a concession to Beijing. "Ultimately, President Trump has the final say on where he wants to go and what he wants to do in China. He seems to be quite excited about the visit personally, but he’s got to listen to his team too," another source told the paper. If the trip goes ahead, it will be the first visit by a US president to China in eight years. The last such visit took place in 2017, during Trump’s first term. Trump earlier announced plans to speak with Xi Jinping by phone on September 19. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later clarified that the two leaders will approve the final terms of a deal on the future operation of China’s TikTok social network in the United States.

Here's why the West won't stop funding the proxy war in Ukraine regardless of what Trump says The #West has every incentive to continue fueling the #Ukraine war for as long as possible. Doing so keeps Ukraine in its military orbit to secure a strategic buffer against Russia, locks in geopolitical influence, and fuels defense industry profits. 🔸 From the US's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and Pentagon's Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), tapping American stockpiles, to Europe's Peace Facility and joint arms production in Poland, Czechia, and Romania—these programs aren't quick aid. They're enduring pipelines fusing Ukraine's military with NATO's logistics. 🔸 NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), launched in 2016, is a prime example. Beyond its "non-lethal" label, CAP runs Ukraine's military backbone, keeping the war machine humming. 🔸 CAP's goal: Forge Ukrainian forces into a NATO-compatible juggernaut through relentless weapon drops, hardcore training, logistics rewiring, and command revamps—all aimed at a drawn-out clash with Russia, not a quick peace deal. 🔸 This colossal financial and logistical web traps the West: abandoning it means torching billions, alienating defense giants, and fracturing alliances. 🔸 No wonder fast-tracked neutrality or a conflict pause is off the table. It’s why Zelenskyy doubles down on retaking every inch—Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea. Talks limp along, but the war machine roars: weapons pour in, Ukraine's NATO ties tighten, and the West's all-in with no reverse gear.