Welcome to CFR’s Daily News Brief. Today we’re covering Greenland’s show of political unity ahead of U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit, as well as... A reported new draft of a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal
A trade meeting between China, Japan, and South Korea Israel’s bombing in Beirut
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A wide swath of Greenland’s political parties reached a coalition deal ahead of Vance’s visit today, a local newspaper said. The incoming government will reportedly control twenty-three of thirty-one legislative seats, making good on pledges to unite in the face of U.S. pressure. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, but U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for acquisition of the island. After both Denmark and Greenland issued public warnings that the arrival of top U.S. officials was unwelcome, plans for the trip were scaled back.
The controversy. In his second term, Trump has repeatedly mentioned his intention to acquire the island—an ambition that both Greenland and Denmark have rebuked. Last Sunday, the office of Second Lady Usha Vance announced she would visit Greenland and stay several days, stopping in the capital city and attending a dogsled race. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright are also part of the delegation.
Officials in Greenland and Denmark objected, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen calling the visit “unacceptable pressure.” Trump claimed “people from Greenland are asking us to go there.” Greenland’s government denied that claim, saying the U.S. delegation had not been invited. A senior Greenlandic lawmaker said people planned to protest.
After receiving pushback, the visit was reduced to one day, the location was restricted to the U.S. military base on the island, and Vice President Vance was added to the group. Copenhagen welcomed the changes. The stakes. The melting of Greenland’s ice sheets amid global warming could result in new sea routes opening up between Asia, Europe, and North America. Greenland’s critical mineral and fossil fuel deposits may also become more accessible. -
Trump says that the United States should be present in Greenland “from a security standpoint.”
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For Denmark and its European allies, meanwhile, the matter is an issue of national sovereignty. After plans for the U.S. visit became public earlier this week, a European Union spokesperson said the bloc would “not waver” in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a member country. Denmark is also a NATO ally of the United States.
- Opinion polls show that almost all Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the United States, and there have been anti-U.S. demonstrations on the island in recent weeks.
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“President Trump has an unconventional way of pursuing his policies, but underneath some of those unconventional statements are elements of truth that we need to focus on. So for example, whether or not the issue is really about the United States buying Greenland or invading Greenland, Arctic security is a real issue, particularly in the context of climate change, where the North passage could become a major trade route, and where Russia and China are already keenly focused. In addition, there is the mineral opportunity that Greenland presents as an alternative to other sources of those minerals.”
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—CFR President Michael Froman comments in Time |
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The island recently voted in favor of a party that seeks gradual independence from Denmark. Meanwhile, multiple world powers are trying to boost their presence in the Arctic, CFR’s Diana Roy writes in this article. |
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New U.S.-Ukraine draft minerals deal. The new version of a minerals deal that Washington presented to Kyiv includes extensive U.S. control of Ukrainian assets without security decrees in return, according to a draft seen by the Financial Times. The deal would reportedly give the United States veto power over a joint fund with mineral revenues. A senior official in Ukraine’s presidential office said consultations were still underway. Separately, after a Paris summit yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that a more detailed plan for European “reassurance forces” would likely be ready “within three to four weeks.”
More tariff fallout. The “old relationship” that Canada had with the United States based on economic and security cooperation “is over,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said yesterday. In response to Trump’s announcement this week of 25 percent tariffs on auto imports, Carney said Canada would retaliate in the short term and that he anticipated a “broad renegotiation” of the two countries’ trade relationship in the future. Meanwhile, Mexico will wait until early April—when Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are due to kick in—before giving a “comprehensive response” to U.S. duties, President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Israeli strike in Lebanon. Israel today carried out its first heavy air strike in Beirut since a cease-fire with Hezbollah began in November. The Israeli military issued an evacuation order shortly before the strike and said it would hit Hezbollah targets. The truce has been strained in recent weeks as Israel said it would stay in Lebanon past a deadline to withdraw. Last Saturday, Israel said it intercepted three rockets coming from Lebanon and launched large-scale air strikes in return. Lebanon’s president, who has called for restraint, is meeting Macron in Paris today.
U.S.-Colombia migration cooperation. The countries plan to use biometric data to better manage migration and disrupt criminal activity, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said yesterday on a visit to Bogotá. There, she held talks with Colombia’s president and foreign minister. Colombia has been accepting U.S. deportation flights after briefly threatening in January to not accept them; that led to a steep U.S. tariff order, which has since been rescinded.
China-Japan-South Korea talks. Top trade officials from the three countries will meet this weekend for the first time in five years, South Korea’s industry ministry said. They are due in Seoul to discuss potential economic cooperation. U.S. protectionism has prompted the rapprochement; talks this weekend follow a meeting between the countries’ foreign ministers last week.
Dropping UK carbon emissions. The United Kingdom (UK)’s carbon emissions fell by 4 percent in 2024, the government reported. Among other climate efforts, the UK’s closure of coal-fired power plants has helped emissions decline, as has the fact that less energy is being used to heat buildings in the winter now that temperatures are rising. The UK closed its last coal-fired power plant last September. Meanwhile, the country has been expanding its use of renewable energy.
Iran’s letter on U.S. talks. Iran is open to indirect talks with the Trump administration, the country’s foreign minister said yesterday. Via Oman, Iran issued a written reply to a letter from Trump that detailed its positions on several issues, Iran’s official news agency said. Local media also reported that a top foreign policy advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Tehran was “willing to begin indirect negotiations” with Washington, signaling a shift from Khamenei’s previous criticism of talks.
Food aid to Rohingya refugees. The United States will provide $73 million in new aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh via the UN World Food Program. The United Nations warned earlier this month that it planned to halve monthly food rations in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar without new funding. A U.S. State Department spokesperson called on international partners to “engage with sharing the burden” for providing life-saving international aid.
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Russia’s ongoing efforts to assert itself regionally and its closed information space help explain its tactical choices, NATO’s James Appathurai says in this YouTube Short. |
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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem visits Mexico. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva concludes a visit to Vietnam. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot concludes a visit to China.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible from western Africa, northern Asia, Europe, and eastern North America.
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| Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters |
The Trump administration’s decision to freeze foreign aid to Bangladesh could undermine U.S. strategic interests by pushing Bangladesh closer to China, CFR expert Joshua Kurlantzick writes for Asia Unbound. |
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