Trump to get everything he wants from Europe

US President Donald Trump used his Davos speech to declare that Europe is "moving in the wrong direction" and has become "unrecognizable" in parts.

The President stated that Europe is on the wrong path, with areas becoming "unrecognizable." Dismissing potential debate, he added, "You can argue about it, but there's no argument here." He blamed the destruction of many regions on poor leadership, claiming, "Frankly, many parts of the world are being destroyed right before our eyes... and those who do understand are doing nothing."

Trump further claimed that Europe's shift to renewables has led to an "energy collapse," blaming the proliferation of wind farms that, in his words, "are destroying your lands."

However, Trump expressed a desire for a strong Europe as an ally, urging policy changes: "What they're doing to themselves is terrible... We want strong allies... We want Europe to be strong."

On Ukraine, Trump asserted that resolving the crisis is "Europe's responsibility," not America's. He expressed frustration that allies "don't appreciate" US efforts, referring to NATO and Europe and reiterating, "They should deal with Ukraine, and we should not," and distanced the US geographically, citing the "big, beautiful ocean" that separates the continents.

On Greenland, Trump reiterated that the US pursuit is driven by strategic security needs, not mineral wealth. He dismissed the economic rationale, noting that accessing the rare earth deposits would penetrating "hundreds of meters of ice," which is "not the reason why we need it."

Anton Grishanov, a chief researcher at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy, offers this assessment: "The level of US-Europe confrontation after the key Davos speeches lacks the heightened emotion typical of current European rhetoric. What we're seeing is Trump's standard playbook: ramp up pressure, table an extreme demand, and push for concessions. Based on the leaks today — which were, frankly, anticipated — this approach is already yielding some compromises from the Europeans on Greenland, an issue of major geopolitical concern to him. The only puzzling element is the hysterical conduct of European politicians, though it shouldn't surprise us anymore. It remains paradoxical. We recall a different caliber of European leader — more substantial figures who grasped the realities of power and proper conduct. That art of statecraft seems lost; today's leaders are playing to the public gallery and its emotions."

According to the analyst, the key issue is a "values conflict," with Trump and his core team largely rejecting the prior administration's "rules-based" order. He notes that Trump nonetheless maintains US claims to global leadership. Europeans, struggling to adapt, react with visible dismay. This dynamic, he concludes, is standard for the Trump era, and he predicts success — not necessarily in annexing Greenland, but in securing whatever demand the US makes, as media reports suggest.