Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesThe Trump threat to Greenland may have receded for the moment but the episode is a clear warning to the European Union. Ten years ago, the EU faced an existential threat with the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the union. The Government’s opposition to the Mercosur trade deal has further undermined our credibility, already wafer thin because of our freeloading on defenceThe tactics deployed during the Brexit saga were also superb. It’s a long time since Theodore Roosevelt defined the US approach to international relations as being to “speak softly and carry a big stick”. The Government’s opposition to the Mercosur trade deal has further undermined our credibility, already wafer thin because of our freeloading on defence.

Source: The Irish Times January 23, 2026 12:03 UTC