UK-France Troop Deployment & US Greenland Ambitions Spark European Security Debate

Two significant developments [music] tonight involving the security of Europe. First on Ukraine. There's been a

declaration of intent [music] from the leaders of the UK and France that would pave the way for British and French

troops to be deployed if a peace deal is reached with Russia. The aim to deter a future attack. Now, it came at a meeting

in Paris of European leaders, members of the so-called coalition of the willing, hoping to agree security guarantees for

Kiev. President Zalinski described it as a huge step forward and Steve Witkoff, the US envoy, said it marked a big

milestone. But the other key issue for European leaders at their summit was how best to handle Donald Trump's

increasingly tough rhetoric over the future of Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Denmark. Tonight, the White

House said utilizing the US military in furtherance of the goal of acquiring the territory is always an option. bravado

or a genuine threat. Might the US military attempt to seize by force land belonging to a fellow NATO country?

Well, more on that in a moment from Sarah Smith at the White House and Katya Adler will be live in Paris. And we'll

have analysis from Chris Mason here in the studio. But first, James Waterhouse has our top story tonight from the

European Summit. As their name suggests, this mostly European coalition has always said it's

willing to help Ukraine after the fighting stops, but never how. In Paris, though, there was the first bit of

detail. A promise from the UK and France to send troops once a ceasefire is in place. We're told thousands as part of a

reassurance force across land, sea, and air. This is a vital part of our Ironcast

commitment to stand with Ukraine for the long term. >> This group of almost 30 nations also

promised to help monitor the frozen front lines to make sure fighting doesn't break out.

But the most influential people in the room weren't seasoned politicians, but Donald Trump's friend and real estate

investor Steve Wickoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, both now senior ambassadors. European confidence

to help Ukraine with troops has been hampered with an American reluctance to step in if there was a direct

confrontation with Russia. Although not now, they claimed. >> The president does not back down from

his commitments. He is strong for the country of Ukraine and for a peace deal. >> Those words might have been more

reassuring if Donald Trump hadn't staged an extraordinary military intervention in Venezuela and repeated his desires to

take over Greenland, a Danish territory. This US delegation has also been accused of being more friendly to Russia than

Ukraine. Before the meeting has even started, European leaders have put out this statement in support of Greenland

after Donald Trump's repeated claims of wanting to annex the territory. So, you have this scenario where the ambitions

of NATO's most powerful member are making the rest of the alliance nervous. >> Europe is trying to unite around Ukraine

against Russian aggression as well as attempting to take America with it. And we don't even know what Moscow will

agree to in these geopolitical times. This is a continent having to tread carefully. James Waterhouse, BBC News,

Paris. >> Well, what about that statement from the White House tonight saying the

acquisition of Greenland is a national security priority for the US and that using the military is always an option.

Alarm bells have been ringing across capitals right across the Europe, right across Europe. Greenland and Denmark now

want talks with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In a moment, we'll hear from Katya Adler in Paris. But

first, let's talk to Sarah Smith in Washington. This statement, it it does seem a little bit strange, certainly for

European leaders, that there is the possibility that troops might be used to take Greenland.

>> Yes, it's an option, the White House said today. And I think this has come about because President Trump was

clearly so delighted by the success of the military operation in Venezuela that it may have given him an appetite for

going after other foreign targets because it was very shortly after the arrest of the Venezuelan president

Nicholas Maduro that he started talking again about his desire to acquire Greenland. And then today the White

House press secretary gave this statement to the BBC in which she said that President Trump has made it well

known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States and that it's vital to deter our

adversaries in the Arctic region. The president and his team, she said, are discussing a range of options to pursue

this important foreign policy goal. And of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the

commander-in-chief's disposal. Now, also today, a senior White House official told Reuters that President Trump does

want to require Greenland in this current term. So, that's at some point in the next 3 years and that he was

looking at options of purchasing the territory from Denmark or forming some kind of very close alliance with the

island. So there are definitely a range of options on the table. But anyone with any doubt about where Donald Trump

thinks that he sits in the Americas and his desire to extend his influence across the Western Hemisphere should

look at the image that was posted yesterday. A very moody looking Donald Trump with the clear statement on it

that said this is our hemisphere. He means the western hemisphere. And by that he includes not just North America

and Greenland but Central and South America as well. He thinks that America has the right to control and influence

what happens in what he considers to be the US's backyard and he is definitely flexing his muscles on that this week.

>> All right, Sarah, thank you for that. Sarah Smith at the White House. Uh let's go to Katcha Adler who's in Paris. Um

what's been the reaction to all this from European leaders? Katcha. Well, of course, Clive, the reason that

so many European leaders were here in Paris was as part of the coalition of the willing, what they really wanted to

do was try and find a way towards a stable future uh for Ukraine after aggression from Russia ends. And they

need the United States on board for that. The risk is over Greenland is that they end up being going ahead to head uh

with Donald Trump because Greenland, yes it is an Arctic island, but it is a semi- autonomous territory of Denmarks.

The prime minister of Denmark, Meta Frederickson, was inside the meeting today. She's a key EU ally for many of

the European leaders here today and a key NATO ally of the United Kingdoms. But in the end at this meeting at the

Elise Paris, there was such a Greenlandshaped elephant in the room, Clive, that six major European powers,

including the UK, France, and Germany, made that joint statement and said the only ones who can decide the future of

Greenland is Greenland itself and Denmark. But is that really enough to contain Donald Trump's ambitions? As

we've just heard there from Sarah, he's put all sorts of unilateral possibilities on the table to acquire

Greenland, whether to buy it or to take it uh by military force. And what we've seen so far since Donald Trump was

reelected as president is European powers dancing this really difficult diplomatic dance to manage Donald Trump.

Yes, to stand up for European values or all allies, but always trying to avoid his era or to provoke him. But will that

still be possible? The Danish prime minister says if he takes if he takes Greenland that will be the end of the

transatlantic alliance NATO that Western Europe has relied on for its security since the end of the Second World War.

And if Europe continues in this very very careful attitude with Donald Trump in the new world of big power politics

that we now live in that Donald Trump seems to relish, Europe risks at best just being a bystander and at worst

being trampled underfoot.