Tuesday, 17 February 2026

South Asian Update
South Asian Update

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Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump's Greenland push

 Published: 11:47, 16 February 2026

Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump's Greenland push

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reflected a feeling of profound change among European leaders at this weekend's Munich Security Conference when she said: "Some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore".

Transatlantic ties have already been strained over the past year by Donald Trump’s return to the White House. But the US president’s push to annex Greenland dramatically increased European doubts about Washington’s commitment to protect the continent through the NATO alliance.

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