With Donald Trump monopolizing attention at the World Economic Forum in Davos, more and more European leaders are leaving the Swiss resort and preparing for tonight’s extraordinary convening of the European Council in Brussels (20:00 Greek time). Of course, a new development is Trump’s meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the announcement of an agreement on the status of Greenland that would leave both the United States and the Alliance’s countries satisfied.

According to government sources, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will not travel to Davos, although last night Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theocharis arrived there. The prime minister will chair a meeting at 10:30 at the Maximos Mansion on sheep and goat pox and will then depart for Brussels.

Mr. Mitsotakis did not travel yesterday, Wednesday—officially due to weather conditions—although the expediency of avoiding an overlap with Mr. Trump cannot be ignored, despite the admittedly unfavorable weather forecasts. Even today, it is considered rather difficult for the prime minister to make a long trip for just a few hours, as he would have had to leave Davos at midday and return to Zurich in order to fly from there to Brussels and arrive at the European Council in time. In general, a European reluctance to coincide with Mr. Trump during this period of unprecedented tension in Euro-American relations is being noted.

“We cannot play with issues of International Law, nor can we put them on the scale against anything else. We are talking about European territory, and this is something that under no circumstances—not only Greece, but Europe as a whole—is going to negotiate,” government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis emphasized yesterday in this spirit (Alpha Radio 98.9) regarding the issue of Greenland.

Over the past several days, the prime minister has maintained open lines with major European capitals and other European leaders in order to assess the data and shape a common front. Of course, the evening Trump–Rutte discussion, about which more information will emerge today, changes the landscape.

In any case, Europeans want to discuss in greater detail today Euro-American relations and the prospect of new rifts, given also the direct confrontation between Trump and Macron. However, Mr. Trump took another step back yesterday, withdrawing the tariffs he had announced against eight European countries that would have participated with forces in the operation to guard Greenland. Nevertheless, yesterday the European Parliament officially put the U.S.–Europe trade agreement “on ice.”

Reluctance toward the Peace Council

In this context, both Greece and most European countries do not intend to participate in the so-called Peace Council being shaped by Mr. Trump, with the sole exception of Hungary. The stance is common, as beyond the $1 billion buy-in that the American president sets as a prerequisite for participation, the remaining terms are at least vague and point to an organization that would function as an “alternative UN,” while at the same time undermining NATO and the EU.

In addition, according to relevant sources, especially regarding the day after in Gaza, there are detailed provisions in a UN Security Council resolution, which will be reassessed on Monday in New York by its members, in the presence of Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.

The summit will take the form of a dinner, and it is expected that both the European response to Trump’s maneuvers over Greenland and Europe’s reply to Trump’s invitation to a number of European countries to participate in the so-called “Peace Council” will be put on the table.

In any case, one fact that should not be overlooked is that Mr. Trump clarified that he will not use military means to seize Greenland.