Trump: We’ll settle another war pretty soon
Trump says we now have ‘peace in the Middle East’, repeats his claim to having settled eight wars, and then suggests that “another one’s coming pretty soon”.
He means Russia-Ukraine, calling it “the one I thought was going to be an easy one” but turned out to be the most difficult.
29,000 people, mostly soldiers, died last month, Trump says, a “terrible” toll.
He adds “we’re making a lot of progress” in the peace talks, echoing what we heard from Steve Witkoff this morning.
Key events
Analysis: What might Trump and Rutte have agreed on Greenland?
Dan Sabbagh
Details remain sketchy on what was discussed between US president Donald Trump and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte over Greenland last night, our security editor Dan Sabbagh writes.
However, emerging clues point to a rewriting of the existing 1951 Greenland defence treaty between the US and Denmark and the creation of an Arctic air policing mission involving European allies.
Public statements by Rutte and Nato have been relatively vague, though Nato insisted that Rutte “did not propose any compromise to sovereignty” in his conversation with Trump.
Diplomatic sources briefed to Associated Press that under discussion was a renegotiation of the 1951 treaty which already gives the US extensive military rights in the autonomous Danish territory.
The 1951 treaty allows the US to “construct, install, maintain, and operate” multiple bases rent free – though the US only currently operates one at Pituffik – which could allow missile defence facilities to be built.
A 2004 addendum says the US must consult with Denmark and Greenland before making “significant changes” to its military operations.
Nato also said that “discussions among Nato Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies”.
Denmark has asked Nato allies to support a new Arctic Sentry air policing mission, mirroring similar efforts on Nato’s eastern flank, to monitor Russian and Chinese activity. The idea already has the support of the UK.
MEPs to review suspension of EU-US trade deal after Davos Greenland progress
Lisa O’Carroll
The European Parliament will, next Monday, review its decision to suspend the ratification of the US tariff deal in protest against Donald Trump’s threat to acquire Greenland.
MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the international trade committee, who announced the indefinite freeze yesterday following a decision of the main political groupings in parliament, said on social media:
“Hardly any details are known yet about the proposed Greenland deal. But we need them in order to decide how to proceed with the implementation of the EU-US trade deal.
@EP_Trade will revisit the issue on Monday and discuss the way forward.”
Lange said he remains circumspect, warning there was no room for a false sense of security, following Trump’s climbdown on Wednesday night when he emerged from a meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte scrapping the threat of tariffs on eight European allies and declaring a “forever” deal on Greenland.
Norway and Sweden have indicated that they won’t participate in the board of peace, after France also said no, Associated Press report, explaining:
French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said “the time has not yet come to accept the invitation,” according to the STA news agency, with the main concern being the board’s mandate may be too broad and could undermine international order based on the U.N. Charter.
Rubio: more countries will sign up
Apologies to Kazakhstan, who I managed to miss of the list of countries signing up today.
There were 19 in all (see updated list here)
The White House are indicating that today’s members will be joined by others.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Davos that some countries’ leaders have indicated that they plan to join but still require approval from their parliaments.
He also indicated the Trump administration has received queries about membership from countries that hadn’t been invited to participate yet.
There are reports that more than 50 countries were contacted by the White House about the initiative.
Rutte: Agreement with Trump would see Nato allies boost security in Arctic
We’re starting to slowly get more details about Trump’s conversation with Nato chief Mark Rutte, after which the US president announced they had reached a “framework of a future deal.”
A major part of that pact will see Nato allies step up Arctic security, fast, with the initial results of this coming as soon as this year, Nato Secretary General Rutte said.
In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of Davos, he said that Nato commanders would now need to work through the details of the extra security requirements.
“We will come together in NATO with our senior commanders to work out what is necessary,” Rutte said, adding: “I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026.“
Asked if NATO allies can take Trump at his word, Rutte responded: “You can always take Donald Trump at his word“.
The interview comes after Rutte previously said that the issue of Danish sovereignty was not discussed with the US president.
And finally, Donald Trump returns to the lecturn for some concluding remarks, in which he riffs about Gaza’s real estate possibilities.
Look at this location by the sea, look at this “beautiful piece of property”, Trump says, suggesting that people who are living so poorly today will be living so well.
And finally, he promises that the board of peace will be important, and not a waste of time.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now on stage, outlining plans for the redevelopment of Gaza.
Kushner says the plans will be conducted in phases, including a push on workforce housing, where he suggests could also be a lot of industry, 100% employment and opportunity for everyone.
He’s now showing Davos a property development map of Gaza, and a computer-generated picture of ‘New Gaza’, with coastal tourism.
Here’s the timeline as Kushner showed on screen to delegates.
Gaza’s Rafah crossing to reopen next week
The ‘board of peace’ ceremony then bring some good news: Gaza’s Rafah crossing will reopen next week.
Davos delegates are being played a video message from Ali Shaath, leader of the Palestinian technocratic committee, who reveal that the crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen next week.
Shaath says “this is a real step, and it marks a new direction”.
But he adds that there is much more work to do, none of it is easy.
The Rafah crossing is the only one that was not controlled by Israel before the war. It has been closed since May 2024, when Israel took control of the Gaza side; last October, Israel said it would stay closed ‘until further notice’, to put pressure on Hamas to return the remains of deceased hostages.
Marco Rubio is now delivering a rather obsequious speech about Donald Trump’s accomplishments, and his ‘historic presidency’.
The US secretary of state cites what’s happening in Gaza, where he says Trump had the “vision and the courage to dream the impossible” for what many thought was an intractable problem.
Rubio says that many of the institutions that have “served us well over 70 years” were unable to do anything about it (which won’t calm fears that the ‘board of peace’ is being set up to supercede those institutions).
Rubio talks about a new era and a new stage, and a model to the rest of the world of what is possible.
The vision of the future for Gaza is “our destiny” if we put the time and effort needed in, he concludes.
Trump then signs the inaugural resolution for the board of peace’s Gaza mandate, per the UN security council resolution 2803.
Signing ceremony underway
Trump’s remarks are over, and the signing ceremony is underway.
Those country’s signing up are joining Trump at a signing ceremony, two by two, starting with Sheikh Isa of Bahrain and Morocco’s foreign minister Nasser Bourita.
After a moment, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declares:
Congratulations, president Trump, the charter is now in full force and the ‘board of peace’ is now an official international organisation.
Other leaders then follow in pairs, showing their paperwork to the room afterwards.
The world is a region, and we’re going to have peace in the world, Trump muses.
Trump suggests that the ‘board of peace’ will work with the United Nations to end conflict in the world.
(there are suspicious that it could be a ploy to replace the UN).
On Gaza, Trump says Hamas must return the last, deceased, hostage to Israel.
Peering over to the leaders on the stage, Trump announces that he likes every single one of them.
Usually there’s two or three I don’t like, he jokes (!).
Trump claims the ‘board of peace’ is one of the most consequential bodies ever created, and that he was “honoured” to be asked to be the chairman.
Onto Venezuela, Trump claims “all the oil companies” want to go in immediately.
[Oil CEOs have warned that significant investment is needed]
Trump grumbles that while most Nato allies have increased their military spending, under his urging, Spain is lagging.
He suggests Madrid “wants a free ride”.
