Trump vented his frustration with NATO’s unwillingness to get involved in the war on Iran that he launched with Israel

International News via Reuters:

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called on NATO allies to stand together to defend international law as he pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest comments about the Arctic island.

Trump vented his frustration with NATO’s unwillingness to get involved in the war on Iran that he launched with Israel, saying in a social media post that the military alliance was not around when needed and would not be there “if we need them again. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE”.

Nielsen rejected the characterisation.

“We are not some piece of ice. We are a proud population of 57,000 people, working every single day as good global citizens in full respect for all our allies,” he told Reuters.

Nielsen underlined the importance of maintaining the post-war geopolitical order, including the NATO defence alliance and globally respected international law.

“Those things are being challenged now, and I think all allies should stand together to try to maintain them. I hope that will happen,” he said.

DIPLOMATIC TALKS CONTINUE BUT GREENLAND IS WARY OF US GOALS

NATO allies had already been scrambling earlier this year to find ways to keep the alliance together after Trump revived his push to seize Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO member.

The White House in January said Trump was weighing a use of military force in Greenland, leading Germany, France and other European nations to send small contingents of troops to the island in a message of solidarity and deterrence.

Trump later backed down after talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stating that “the framework of a future deal” had been formed and moving the Greenland conflict to a diplomatic track. His latest social media post on the island followed a new meeting with Rutte on Wednesday.

Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. in late January launched diplomatic talks and Nielsen said they were still going on, with more meetings scheduled. 

Trump and his backers have insisted the U.S. needs Greenland to fend off threats from Russia and China in the Arctic and that Denmark cannot ensure its security. 

The United States already has a base on the island and the ability to expand its presence there under a 1951 treaty.

“It would be strange, when all parties want to discuss increased defence cooperation, not to factor in that agreement (from 1951),” Nielsen said, declining to go into further detail on what was being discussed in the negotiations.

Despite the talks, Nielsen made clear he did not believe Trump had abandoned his ambitions regarding the island: “I cannot see that his desire to either take over or control Greenland has been taken off the table,” he said.

Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Louise Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Philippa Fletcher

The 63 countries and the European Union also expressed “deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon…”

International News via Reuters:

Dozens of states issued a joint statement at the United Nations on Thursday condemning “unacceptable aggressive behavior” toward U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon and calling for increased protections after the deaths there of three Indonesian soldiers.

The 63 countries and the European Union also expressed “deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, especially the significant civilian casualties, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the mass displacement of more than one million people.”

The statement was read by Indonesia’s U.N. ambassador Umar Hadi, accompanied by dozens of envoys from countries that endorsed it. It noted that attacks on peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law and those responsible must be held accountable.

While reaffirming their full support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the countries urged the U.N. and its Security Council “to strengthen the protection of U.N. peacekeepers in an increasingly dangerous environment.” 

The statement called on all parties to return to negotiations and reiterated “strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Lebanon.”

Hadi said there were indications that more countries would sign the statement. Israel, Lebanon and the U.S. were not among those he read out.

On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned massive strikes by Israel across Lebanon that day that the U.N. said had resulted in hundreds of civilians being killed and injured.

The U.N. said on Tuesday that preliminary findings from its probe into the deaths of the three Indonesian peacekeepers in separate incidents on March 29 and 30 showed that one was killed by an Israeli tank projectile and two by an improvised explosive device most likely placed by Hezbollah.

Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by David Gregorio

Deliveries included three jets to Dubai-based Emirates despite disruption to the airline’s operations from the Gulf conflict, monthly data showed

International News via Reuters:

Airbus delivered 60 aircrafts in March, bringing first-quarter deliveries to 114 jets, down 16% from the same point last year, the European planemaker said on Thursday.

Deliveries included three jets to Dubai-based Emirates despite disruption to the airline’s operations from the Gulf conflict, monthly data showed.

The French-based plane maker also delivered one jet each to Etihad Airways and Saudi Arabia’s Fly A Deal.

Airbus deliveries have been hampered since the start of the year by ongoing problems with the supply of fuselage panels and shortages of engines, company executives have said.

In the first quarter of 2025, Airbus delivered 136 aircraft.

Airbus aims to deliver 870 airplanes this year.

The company said it had sold 408 aircraft in the first quarter or a net total of 398 after adjusting for cancellations.

Reporting by Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham