\u201cIt is for Denmark<\/a> and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement does not directly refer to the US but emphasises the importance of adhering to international law and UN Charter principles of respecting sovereign territory and borders.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.37 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Europe would commit to binding guarantees to protect Ukraine, draft statement shows<\/p>\n European allies would commit to \u201cpolitically and legally binding\u201d guarantees to protect Ukraine<\/a> \u201cin the case of a future armed attack by Russia in order to restore peace\u201d, a draft Coalition of Willing statement reads, according to Reuters.<\/p>\n \u201cThese commitments may include the use of military capabilities, intelligence and logistical support, diplomatic initiatives, adoption of additional sanctions,\u201d said the draft.<\/p>\n The statement is being put forward at the summit today at the Elysee Palace and still needs sign-off.<\/p>\n The statement says such a \u201csystem of politically and legally binding guarantees\u201d will be \u201cactivated once a ceasefire enters into force\u201d.<\/p>\n You would assume that such pledges would be legally binding but explicitly spelling it out is no doubt a relief to Ukraine. The detail of what those guarantees actually consist of is still unclear beyond the vague categories above.<\/p>\n Analysts had noted that it was hoped if European leaders could firm up their commitments to Ukraine at today\u2019s meeting, that would encourage the US to consolidate their pledges to Ukraine on security support.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.19 EST<\/p>\n Zelenskyy arrives for EU-US talks on peaceZelenskyy is embraced by French President Macron as he arrives for a meeting of the \u2018Coalition of the Willing\u2019 on Ukraine in Paris Photograph: Michel Euler\/AP<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a>, has also just arrived at the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace for talks with European leaders and US officials. He was warmly greeted by Macron.<\/p>\n Earlier we saw some lines from a draft statement from the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d, I\u2019ll go through them soon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.21 EST<\/p>\n So we\u2019ve just had that statement from the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain, and Denmark on the issue of Greenland, following Trump\u2019s explicit coveting of the Danish territory <\/a>in the Arctic.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a fairly robust message saying Greenland<\/a> belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can make decisions on its future.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.21 EST<\/p>\n Europe says Arctic security should be achieved ‘collectively with Nato allies including US’<\/p>\n They note that Arctic security \u201cremains a key priority for Europe\u201d and for Nato.<\/p>\n Security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively, in conjunction with Nato allies including the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.16 EST<\/p>\n European allies ‘are stepping up’<\/p>\n Their statement also says they \u201cwill not stop defending\u201d the UN Charter principles, \u201cincluding sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders\u201d.<\/p>\n Nato has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European allies are stepping up.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.40 EST<\/p>\n European leaders issue joint statement defending Denmark and Greenland<\/p>\n The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain, and Denmark have just issued a joint statement on Greenland<\/a> saying the Arctic territory belongs to Denmark.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is for Denmark<\/a> and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement does not directly refer to the US but emphasises the importance of adhering to international law and UN Charter principles of respecting sovereign territory and borders.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.37 EST<\/p>\n What guarantees have been discussed so far<\/p>\n Before Venezuela, Witkoff last week had indicated progress in talks on measures to protect Ukraine<\/a> against future Russian aggression.<\/p>\n On 31 December, he had tweeted that the \u201cproductive\u201d discussions with national security advisers of Ukraine, UK, France and Germany had focused on \u201cstrengthening security guarantees and developing effective deconfliction mechanisms to help end the war and ensure it does not restart.\u201d<\/p>\n France, which with the UK has led the months-long efforts for a ceasefire, has given some detail of such a security plan.<\/p>\n Macron has said that the Ukrainian military would be the first line of defence against any Russian fighting starting again, and it would be backed by the coalition\u2019s training, weapons and other support.<\/p>\n He has also suggested that European forces might be deployed away from Ukraine\u2019s front lines to help deter future Russian aggression.<\/p>\n Last week, Zelenskyy also revealed that the US had agreed to security guarantees of up to 15 years \u2013 although what those guarantees would look like in the shape of troop or resource deployment was unknown.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy this past weekend also said that potential European troop deployments still face hurdles and \u201cnot everyone is ready\u201d to commit forces.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.24 EST<\/p>\n Before the US\u2019s flagrant operation removing the Venezuelan leader, French president Macron had expressed optimism about today\u2019s \u201ccoalition of willing\u201d nations.<\/p>\n On 31 December, Macron said Western allies would \u201cmake concrete commitments\u201d at the summit \u201cto protect Ukraine<\/a> and ensure a just and lasting peace.\u201d<\/p>\n Prospects for peace now have been upended, with US focus now squarely on Venezuela and Trump\u2019s Greenland<\/a> takeover suggestion stoking alarm in Europe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n What Trump has said on Greenland<\/p>\n The US president was openly speculating about the Danish territory on the weekend, after his Venezuela operation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so strategic right now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,\u201d he told reporters on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said in rebuttal that Trump has \u201cno right to annex\u201d the territory and that Denmark<\/a> already provides its Nato ally significant access to Greenland through existing security agreements.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Poland says Denmark can rely on European solidarity regarding Greenland<\/p>\n Denmark can count on the solidarity of all of Europe on Greenland<\/a>, says Polish PM Donald Tusk, after Trump asserted this week again that he wanted to take over the Arctic island.<\/p>\n Tusk echoed Denmark\u2019s comments yesterday that any US attack on the Danish territory would be catastrophic for the Nato coalition.<\/p>\n \u201cNo member should attack or threaten another member of the North Atlantic Treaty. Otherwise, NATO would lose its meaning if conflict or mutual conflicts occurred within the alliance,\u201d Tusk said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Jared Kushner (left) and United States envoy Steve Witkoff arrive for a meeting of the \u2018coalition of the willing\u2019 on Ukraine at the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace in Paris, France. Photograph: Michel Euler\/AP<\/p>\n The various key players are arriving at the talks \u2013 including Witkoff and Kushner.<\/p>\n The US delegation today was supposed to be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however he won\u2019t be attending any more because of the military operation in Venezuela.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.04 EST<\/p>\n The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is attending the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d meeting today in Paris co-chaired by the French president, Emmanuel Macron<\/a>, and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n The Canadian PM, Mark Carney, arrived earlier this morning for bilateral talks with Macron. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz<\/a>, and the Danish PM, Mette Frederiksen, will also be there.<\/p>\n Zelensky is expected to arrive around 11.10am for a meeting with Macron, before meeting the US delegation, which includes the special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Zelenskyy had addressed his nation saying \u201cmeetings in Europe<\/a> \u2026 must become yet another contribution to our defence and to hastening the end of the war.<\/p>\n \u201cUkraine will be prepared for both possible paths ahead \u2013 diplomacy, which we are pursuing, or continued active defense if the pressure from our partners on Russia proves insufficient. Ukraine<\/a> seeks peace.\u201d<\/p>\n The main meeting will take place just after 2pm, with a press conference expected around 5.45pm.<\/p>\n Details of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine are expected to be the focus of discussion, as well as the prospect of future Ukrainian membership of the EU. Given the US aggression in Venezuela, we can also expect comments from European leaders responding to Trump\u2019s various territorial threats.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Morning opening: Ukraine on the agenda at a perilous moment Good morning and welcome to our live blog of a critical day in meetings between European world leaders and US officials.<\/p>\n The leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Denmark<\/a> and Canada are all in Paris today for a meet that was scheduled last week to aid Ukraine, in the wake of Zelenskyy\u2019s end-of-year talks with the US president, Donald Trump, to negotiate peace.<\/p>\n However, that was all planned before the US\u2019s attack on Venezuela and abduction of its leader, which has upended the geopolitical calculus to say the least. Not only has it emboldened actions from states like Russia, the leaders of Nato democracies are now contending with Trump\u2019s very active threat of grabbing territory like Denmark\u2019s Greenland<\/a>.<\/p>\n Despite the US\u2019s clear violation of international law, most European leaders have also deferred from outright condemnation due to the stakes at play.<\/p>\n They are at a perilous position with Ukraine<\/a> \u2013 in meeting with the Americans today they were trying to get the Trump administration to underwrite any security guarantees. But Trump is flouting the rules-based order \u2013 and the threat now from the US is even closer to hand for Denmark and Canada.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.59 EST<\/p>\n Denmark says a US attack on Greenland would be end of security order An attack by the United States on a Nato ally would mean the end of both the military alliance and \u201cpost-second world war security\u201d, Denmark\u2019s leader has warned, after Donald Trump<\/a> threatened again to take over Greenland.<\/p>\n![\"Frances](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Frances_Mao.png\")
Frances Mao<\/p>\n![\"Miranda](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Miranda_Bryant_Next_Gen.png\")
Miranda Bryant<\/p>\n