Tel Aviv: The ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Switzerland’s Davos has long served as a platform for economic vision and collaboration among political and business leaders. This year, the forum may be forced to confront a different economic and political landscape — one where the United States aims to promote a more stable political order, but simultaneously imposes sanctions, puts economic pressure, and infringes sovereignty whenever proposed solutions clash with Washington’s perceived interests, a report said on Tuesday.
Citing a report from the conservative outlet Newsmax, it said, in a message released on Monday morning, US President Donald Trump sent a written note to Norway’s Prime Minister stating that he no longer feels obligated to “think exclusively about peace” following his failure to secure the Nobel Peace Prize. The message also reiterated his demand for American control over Greenland.
“The message, which was widely circulated by the US administration to other countries as well, was written in response to a brief note sent to Trump by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Both leaders expressed opposition to the US decision to impose tariffs on European allies, in the context of their refusal to allow the United States to assume control over Greenland, according to Store’s statement,” a report in Times of Israel detailed.
It detailed that European Union member states were notified of an additional tariff of around 10 per cent in response to their opposition to the US move on Greenland. India, for its part, received a warning of a 25 per cent tariff hike due to its ties with Iran — adding to an existing 50 per cent — comprising a standard 25 per cent tariff and another 25 per cent on Russian oil imports.
“It is therefore hardly surprising that India and the European Union are accelerating the conclusion of a mutual Free Trade Agreement. Last week, the German Chancellor visited India, and in early February, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to do the same,” it stated.
“In the interim, on January 27, a framework agreement for a free trade deal between the two blocs is expected to be signed, covering most of the bilateral trade volume — estimated at approximately €180 billion — with the exception of agricultural trade, whose regulation has been deferred, even though lower tariffs than those currently in place have already been agreed,” it further noted.
(IANS)
