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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had reached a preliminary understanding on Greenland after talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, a move he claimed had eased tensions with European allies and rendered previously threatened tariffs unnecessary.
Trump disclosed the development in a post on his Truth Social platform following meetings held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
According to him, the discussions produced the framework for a prospective agreement focusing on Greenland and the Arctic region.
“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”
“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote.
The president said the emerging understanding had prompted him to drop plans to impose fresh tariffs, which were scheduled to take effect on February 1, on European countries that had opposed his earlier push for greater US control over Greenland.
Trump also revealed that negotiations were ongoing over the proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system, which he has consistently linked to Greenland’s strategic importance in the Arctic.
He named Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff as the lead figures driving the talks.
In his remarks, Rutte commended Trump for pressuring European allies and Canada to significantly boost defence spending.
He said Trump’s stance had contributed to a NATO commitment for member states to work towards allocating five per cent of their gross domestic product to defence and security by 2035, while reaffirming that NATO would stand by the United States in the event of an attack.
Trump later suggested he could consider financial compensation in relation to Greenland, but stressed that the territory’s real value lay in its strategic and security significance.
“There’s a bigger price, and that’s the price of safety, national security, I mean international security,” he said, adding that he did not believe the use of military force would be required.
Trump announces framework deal on Greenland, suspends threatened EU tariffs
