EU chief says Europe needs to abandon caution after US treasury secretary calls Denmark ‘irrelevant’ – Europe live

Scott Bessent replied to a question on Danish investments by saying that ‘Denmark’s investment in US treasury bonds, like Denmark itself, is irrelevant’

Finland’s president Alexander Stubb, introduced as a European Trump whisperer, also insisted that Nato is doing well, despite the turbulences, as “we are creating a new Nato where Europe takes more responsibility.”

Asked who can defuse the tensions, he jokes “Mark” and points at Rutte.

“At times there are curve balls flying in different types of directions. We try to catch them and we tried to solve them.”

“I think at the end of the day, we will find an off-ramp on this.”

“If someone would have told me, in Washington DC., for the 75th anniversary of the alliance that we’re going to increase our defence expenditure next year to 5%, I would have said you have no clue about international relations or [need to] seek help with a doctor.”

“The risk here is that you focus, of course, on Greenland, because we have to make sure that that issue gets solved in an amicable way.

But the main issue is not Greenland. Now, the main issue is Ukraine.

“And as we speak, Russian missiles and Russian drones are attacking the energy infrastructure in Ukraine. We know that it is now -20 degrees in Kyiv. We know that Ukraine can only take care of 60% of its own electricity.

And yes, it is true the Russians have lost in December 1,000 people dead – not seriously wounded, but dead - a day. That’s over 30,000 in the month of December. In the 1980s, in, Afghanistan, the Soviets lost 20,000 in 10 years. Now they lose 30,000 a month in one month. But they still continue the attack, they still increase the attack.

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