Trump Pushes for Immediate Greenland Deal at Davos

Donald Trump says he wants "immediate" negotiations on the United States acquiring Greenland, but has ruled out using force to take the Danish territory. The US president used an address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, local time, to talk up his country's economy and reiterate his desire to have complete control over the Arctic island. His speech, to a packed room that included scores of world and business leaders, came amid heightened tensions between his administration and America's European allies. However, Mr Trump said "I won't use force" to capture Greenland, something he and his team have previously hinted could happen. While Mr Trump allayed the possibility of any military threat from the US in the Danish territory, he did nothing to address the economic ultimatums he's made to allies over the issue. Those have included raising tariffs on several countries if they refuse to agree to his plan to buy Greenland. At one point during his speech, delivered Wednesday, local time, Mr Trump appeared to speak directly to European leaders opposing a US takeover. "You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember," he said. Mr Trump, using some of his strongest rhetoric on the issue yet, described Denmark as "ungrateful". Despite that, he also appeared to trivialise the demand at points, too, saying getting Greenland was "a small ask" for a "piece of ice". "I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again to discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," he said, after initially telling the room he had planned not to speak about the issue during his Davos address. "I was going to leave it out of the speech," he said. Mr Trump said he wanted control over Greenland, home to around 56,000 people, not because its natural resources could be valuable, but because of its strategic importance. "We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won't give it," the US president said. In the days preceding his speech, the US president had threatened to impose additional tariffs several NATO countries if they didn't agree to let the US aquire Greenland. In response, European lawmakers refused to ratify a trade agreement struck between the EU and US six months ago. Mr Trump has this week singled out Norway, which he incorrectly claims is refusing to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, for particular criticisms. But he's also railed against a UK government plan to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and France, which declined an offer to join his global Board of Peace. European leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday evening, local time, to discuss their options to respond to Mr Trump's demands.