In Davos, Canada's PM Mark Carney said his nation stands with Greenland amid Trump's pursuit of the world's largest island and sharply critized US-led global order. in DW has more.

The 2026 top-level summit in Switzerland takes place against the background of US President Donald Trump's Greenland fixation and renewed tariff threatsAlso Read | Maharashtra Shocker: Teen Dies by Suicide in Beed After Mother Refuses Permission To Play Outside Due to Intense Heat.

'We do prefer respect to bullies,' French President Emmanuel Macron told the conference on TuesdayAlso Read | JEE Mains 2026 Paper: 1st Shift of Session 1 of Joint Entrance Examination Ends, Know How To Raise Objections at jeemain.nta.nic.in Once Answer Key Is Released.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warns that new US tariffs on the EU would be a 'mistake'

Trump is poised to dominate the week at Davos, with a US delegation already in place promoting an America-first agenda that has shaken the global order

Eight European countries warned of a 'dangerous downward spiral' unless the White House changes tack

Below you can read up on updates from the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland:

Iran top diplomat threatens US after Davos snub

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday issued his most direct threat against the United States, a day after he was disinvited by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos over Tehran's deadly clampdown on protesters.

In an opinion piece published by The Wall Street Journal, Araghchi warned the US against attacking Iran.

"Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack," Araghchi wrote, referring to last year's 12-day war that Israel launched on Iran.

"An all-out confrontation will certainly be ferocious and drag on far, far longer than the fantasy timelines that Israel and its proxies are trying to peddle to the White House. It will certainly engulf the wider region and have an impact on ordinary people around the globe," he cautioned.

The warning by the Islamic Republic's top diplomat comes as a US aircraft carrier group heads westward toward the Middle East from Asia.

On Tuesday, the WEF dropped its invitation to Araghchi.

"The Iranian Foreign Minister will not be attending Davos," the forum said.

"Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented," it added.

Canada's Carney says world order 'in the midst of a rupture'

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned of global fissures beyond US threats to Greenland.

"We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically," Carney said in a speech at Davos.

He pointed out that US power had meant that the rules-based order had been imperfect, with the enforcement of trade rules and international law applying on the basis of military and economic might.

"This fiction was useful, and American hegemony, in particular, helped provide public goods, open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes."

"So, we placed the sign in the window. We participated in the rituals, and we largely avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality."

"This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition," Carrney said.

Canada, a founding NATO member, has also been threatened by the United States with Trump previously referring to Prime Minister Carney as the country’s “governor.”

Trump forced to swap planes after electrical fault on way to Davos

US President Donald Trump's Air Force One landed safely at at an air base near Washington to change aircraft on Tuesday night, after crew on his ā initial flight identified "a minor electrical issue" shortly ‌after takeoff.

The trip is to continue ‌on ā a new aircraft, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

A reporter on board the plane said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered, the Associated Press reported.

About half an hour into the flight, reporters were told the plane would be turning around.

Trump is ‍traveling to join other world ā€‹leaders ā€‹at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Envoys for Trump and Putin meet in Davos

Representatives of the US and Russian governments met in Davos to discuss the war in Ukraine. The group sat down for two hours to discuss a possible future peace deal and an end to the war. The talks were described as "very positive" and "constructive."

"Dialogue is ā constructive and more and more people understand the fairness of Russian position," Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said.

Dmitriev met US President Donald Trump's envoy ‌Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in the "USA House" at Davos.

"We ‌had a very ā positive meeting," Witkoff said, according to Russia's RIA news agency.

The full-scale war in Ukraine began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine, triggering the biggest conflict between Moscow and the West in decades.

Currently, Russia controls 19% of Ukraine, including the Crimea peninsula, which it illegally annexed in 2014, as well as most of the eastern Donbas region, much of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, and slivers of four other regions.

UK's Reeves calls for Greenland de-escalation

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer (a role akin to finance minister) Rachel Reeves said at Davos on Tuesday that it was important to reduce tensions in the latest Greenland dispute with the US.

"We absolutely want to de-escalate," Reeves said at a Bloomberg event at the WEF. "The future of Greenland is for the people of Greenland."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday called for calm discussions to avert trade fallout with the US over Greenland, appealing to Trump to respect alliances like NATO rather than undermine them.

"I don't think it's in anyone's interest to escalate tensions or to allow rhetoric to be a substitute for hard work and diplomacy," Reeves said. "We would just urge people to keep cool heads. That's what we did all through last year and actually it served us pretty well."

California governor Newsom says Europeans have been 'played for fools' by Trump

California's Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom was highly critical not just of Donald Trump but of Europe's approach to him in comments to reporters, including DW's political editor Michaela KĆ¼fner in Davos.

"The Europeans should decide for themselves what to do. But one thing they can't do is what they've been doing. And they've been played. This guy's playing folks for fools and it's embarrassing," Newsom said.

Asked if trying to placate the US president didn't amount to attempts at diplomacy with a key ally, Newson demurred.

"This is diplomacy, with Donald Trump? He's a T-Rex: you mate with him or he devours you, one or the other."

He said Europeans "need to stand tall, stand firm, stand united," and that they were "paying the price" for not having had this conversation a year ago.

"I don't want to be hyperbolic about it but this guy's a wrecking ball," he said. "This is, it's code red. And you guys are still playing by the old set of rules, everybody, the whole globe is with this guy."

Newsom said that in his opinion, European leaders simply needed to adopt public stances closer to the ones they already voice in private.

"Everybody's talking behind his back, they're laughing at him. Meanwhile, they're sucking up to him. It's embarrassing," he said. "This is not diplomacy it's stupidity."

Treasury Secretary says US relations with Europe remain strong despite Greenland row

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he's confident Washington and Europe will resolve tensions over President Donald Trump's push to take control of Greenland.

"It's been 48 hours. As I said, sit back, relax," Bessent told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

"I am confident that the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all."

Over the weekend, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on European allies opposing a US takeover of Greenland. EU leaders meet Thursday in Brussels to weigh retaliation, including tariffs on €93 billion ($108 billion) on US imports.

Bessen says US-Europe relations have "never been closer" despite the dispute.

'We prefer respect to bullies,' Macron says of Europe amid 'time of instability'

French President Emmanuel Macron opened his speech Tuesday in Davos with a joke, saying "It's a time of peace, stability and predictability," to laughs from the chamber.

"It's clear we are reaching a time of instability, of imbalances," he said, citing global shifts towards autocracy from democracy, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and more wars around the world — "even though I understand a few of them were fixed," in a dig at US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly boasted of ending several wars since entering office last year.

The French president warned against "a world where international law is trampled underfoot," and a world where the strong do what they will while the weak suffer what they must.

In reference to the latest disputes about Greenland, Macron described the threat of further sanctions from the US towards Europe as "fundamentally unacceptable, even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty."

He said he wanted to rule out two approaches to the new threats in the world, firstly to "passively accept the law of the strongest," saying it didn't make sense to accept "a sort of new colonial approach."

But Macron also warned against adopting "a purely moral posture," saying this path "would condemn us to marginalization and powerlessness."

"France must defend effective multilateralism," he said, as his government takes up the G7 presidency in 2026.

"We do prefer respect to bullies," he said towards the end of his address. "We do prefer science to conspiracy. We do prefer rule of law to brutality."

WATCH: Donald Trump's tariff threats hang over World Economic Forum

This year's World Economic Forum in Davos takes place in tense times. In addition to the crises in Ukraine and Iran, there is now the dispute over Greenland.

Will Trump's visit defuse tensions or further escalate the situation?

'China is a trading partner, not a rival,' deputy premier says

China's deputy premier He Lifeng appealed for a less confrontational approach towards his country in his speech at Davos, touting its economic success.

The economist-turned-politician told the summit, "China is a trading partner, not a rival."

He said that the country's average annual growth rate of around 5.4% in the past five years had contributed "approximately 30% to global economic growth" in that period. Overseas investment by China had generated "over $300 billion" in tax revenues around the world, he said.

He also dismissed the common Western criticism on matters such as unfair trade practices, government support and dumping prices.

"China's development has been achieved mainly through reform, opening up and innovation, rather than so-called government subsidies," he said.

The deputy premier said China would "continue to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment" for international companies operating there. In turn, he called on other national governments to provide a "fair" and "non-discriminatory" investment climate for Chinese businesses.

He Lifeng also appeared to refer to the US and Donald Trump, albeit without naming them.

"A select few countries should not have privileges based on self-interest, and the world cannot revert to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak," He said, albeit adding that all countries "have the right to protect their legitimate interests."

Davos delegates wait with bated breath for Trump address

While walking down Davos's main street, Promenade, it's common to overhear discussions about Trump and AI. The street is plastered with billboards extolling the possibilities of frontier technologies such as Agentic AI, which involves machines not only telling you things, but also doing them for you.

This is the buzzword of the year.

However, it's Trump who is the talk of the Alpine town. Several delegates have rearranged their schedules around his speech at the WEF meeting on Wednesday.

There is a sense of nervous anticipation about what the US president is going to say. Fingers crossed!

Another notable aspect is the strong presence of emerging economies on the Promenade. India has set up its biggest pavilion ever, a rented space where officials meet with investors to discuss investments worth millions or billions of dollars.

Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria, and South Africa are among the countries showcasing their investment potential. Powerhouses from the Middle East — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — are also present in impressive numbers.

New US tariffs on the EU would be a 'mistake,' von der Leyen says

European Commmission President Ursula von der Leyen has told the World Economic Forum in Davos that the world is changing and called for Europe to adapt accordingly.

During her speech, von der Leyen also addressed issues like Russia's invasion of Ukraine, economic upheaval and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI).

She confessed, while concluding the speech with a focus on Greenland, that "when I started preparing for this address, security in the high north was not the main theme."

But von der Leyen said it would be a "mistake" for the Trump administration to try to impose fresh tariffs on the EU in light of its designs on Greenland.

"The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business — a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something," she said.

Von der Leyen said any EU response to US pressure would be "unflinching, united and proportional."

She also sought to highlight that Europe was "fully committed" to security in the Arctic region, saying "we share the objectives of the United States in this regard."

"For instance, our EU member, Finland, one of the newest NATO members, is selling its first icebreakers to the United States. And this shows that we have capabilities in the ice, so to speak," she said, referring to an area of naval development where the US has fallen far behind the fleets of Russia and China in recent years, as climate change looks set to render Arctic waters more navigable.

Von der Leyen recommended that an icebreaker building program be one of the things funded by the European defense spending surge.

Iran's FM denounces canceled appearance amid protest wave

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has criticized the World Economic Forum for canceling his appearance at the summit, origninally scheduled for Tuesday, amid widespread protests and a violent crackdown in the country.

Araghchi alleged that his appearance was called off "on the basis of lies and political pressure from Israel and its US-based proxies and apologists" in a post on social media.

He said the decision exhibited a "blatant double standard" that "only conveys moral depravity and intellectual bankruptcy," given that Israeli officials were represented at the event despite the conflict in Gaza that was largely halted with last October's ceasefire.

Araghchi claimed that his country's security forces were responding to "armed terrorists and ISIS-style killings openly backed by Mossad," Israel's intelligence agency.

Rights groups say they have verified at least several thousand protesters killed by Iranian security forces. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, which says it has verified the deaths of at least 3,428 protesters, said on Monday that "all indications are that this massacre was planned and carried out with full coordination" by the Islamic Republic.

The Munich Security Conference has also withdrawn invitations to Iranian officials for the event in Bavaria next month in light of the violence and unrest.

Europe takes stage in Davos amid Trump tariff threat

Welcome back to our coverage of the World Economic Forum.

European leaders are taking the spotlight in Davos on Tuesday, one day before Donald Trump appears at the annual gathering, as the US president presses tariff threats tied to a dispute over Greenland.

Trump is expected to loom over the week at the Swiss resort, with a US delegation already on site pushing a Trump agenda that has rattled the global order long promoted by the World Economic Forum.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are due to address the forum on Tuesday.

They will be joined by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose governments are also facing tensions with Trump.

Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech on Wednesday and take part in further events on Thursday.

European officials are weighing possible countermeasures after Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries that oppose the US president's desire to take control of Greenland.

The issue has caused a growing diplomatic transatlantic rift and sparked fears of a trade war between the US and Europe.

Stay tuned as we bring you the latest.

EU chief reiterates need to 'unequivocally respect' Greenland's sovereignty in Davos

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark" in a meeting with a bipartisan US congressional delegation.

"This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship," she said on X, stressing that the EU is ready "to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests."

Von der Leyen said "transatlantic trade and investment" were also among the topics discussed, describing them as "a major asset" for both EU and US economies.

"Tariffs run counter to these shared interests," she added, appearing to refer to Trump's threats of imposing a 10% tariff on eight European countries as he ramps up his bid to acquire Greenland.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2026 02:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).