https://www.scmp.com/rss/523956/feed The latest news and top stories on Lars Løkke Rasmussen. A seasoned Danish politician, he currently serves as Foreign Minister, a role he assumed in December 2022. Rasmussen has an extensive background in governance, notably serving twice as Prime Minister of Denmark (2009-2011, 2015-2019). His career includes significant ministerial positions such as Minister of Finance and Minister of the Interior and Health, where he spearheaded major healthcare and municipal reforms. He also founded the... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Talks on forming a new Danish government are in stalemate one month on from the country’s parliamentary election, slowing decision-making amid efforts to resolve a crisis in ties with US President Donald Trump’s administration over Greenland. Caretaker Prime Minister Mette ‌Frederiksen, armed with a royal mandate, is leading coalition talks among the 12 parties in parliament but has so far only won support from left-wing groups, which is not enough to secure a parliamentary... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351362/month-after-elections-danish-government-talks-remain-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351362/month-after-elections-danish-government-talks-remain-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:23:18 +0000 Reuters Reuters Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen handed in her coalition government’s resignation on Wednesday after suffering a massive election defeat, but could still emerge as leader of a new cabinet in the coming weeks. Analysts say the result was a voter revolt over broken economic promises of the outgoing centrist government and ‌a sign that the electorate was tired of Frederiksen as a leader after seven years in power. Frederiksen’s Social Democratic Party had its worst election since 1903 on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347777/danish-pm-mette-frederiksens-left-wing-bloc-wins-election-falls-short-majority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347777/danish-pm-mette-frederiksens-left-wing-bloc-wins-election-falls-short-majority?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:54:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Danes were voting ⁠on Tuesday in an election that may hand Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen a third term thanks to her staunch line against US President Donald Trump over Greenland even though cost-of-living worries have hurt her leftist credentials. Opinion polls show her Social Democrats are headed for their weakest result since before World War II: many Danes blame Frederiksen for not doing enough to protect their Nordic welfare model, while others point to growing ‌weariness after nearly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347702/denmark-votes-election-shadowed-trumps-greenland-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347702/denmark-votes-election-shadowed-trumps-greenland-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:14:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union ambassadors reached broad agreement on Sunday to intensify ‌efforts to dissuade US President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on European allies, while also preparing retaliatory measures should the duties go ahead, EU diplomats said. Trump vowed on Saturday to implement ‍a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the US is allowed to buy Greenland, a step major EU... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:05:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland on Thursday as ‌Denmark said it was pressing on with plans for a “larger and more permanent” Nato presence to secure the island coveted by US President Donald Trump. The modest European deployments, meant to help ‍Denmark prepare military exercises, sent a strong message of support a day after a meeting of officials from the US, Denmark and Greenland failed to reach any breakthrough on the impasse. After that meeting, Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340058/european-allies-send-troops-greenland-amid-trumps-purchase-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340058/european-allies-send-troops-greenland-amid-trumps-purchase-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:11:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A top Danish official said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remained with US President Donald Trump after holding highly anticipated White House talks with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339913/trump-says-unacceptable-if-us-does-not-control-greenland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339913/trump-says-unacceptable-if-us-does-not-control-greenland?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:46:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Greenland would choose to remain Danish over a US takeover, its leader said on Tuesday, ahead of crunch White House talks on the future of the Arctic island which President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened. Trump has been talking up the idea of buying or annexing the autonomous territory for years, and further stoked tensions this week by saying the United States would take it “one way or the other”. “We are now facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339793/greenland-says-we-choose-denmark-talks-trump-officials-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339793/greenland-says-we-choose-denmark-talks-trump-officials-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:08:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Britain is discussing with Nato allies how it can help strengthen security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China, a UK government minister said on Sunday. Britain’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks were “business as usual” rather than a response to recent threats by US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland. Trump has said that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Nato ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339512/germany-pitch-arctic-nato-mission-greenland-eu-brace-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339512/germany-pitch-arctic-nato-mission-greenland-eu-brace-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:54:09 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take over Greenland could pose a direct challenge to China’s ambitions in the Arctic, but some observers say it may also open the door to increased cooperation with Europe. Following the abduction of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro, the White House swiftly turned its attention towards the self-governing Danish territory, adding that “of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal”. On Sunday, the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Danish foreign minister said on Monday he will summon the US ambassador, insisting that everyone – including the United States – must respect “the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark” after US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana’s governor as the US ‌special envoy to Greenland. During his presidential transition and early second term, Trump repeatedly pushed for US control over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and has not ruled out using... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337363/denmark-angered-over-trump-naming-envoy-greenland-summons-us-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337363/denmark-angered-over-trump-naming-envoy-greenland-summons-us-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:54:25 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham As they look to keep the United States engaged in Ukraine and push for lower trade tariffs, EU ministers lobbied their US counterparts for joint policies on China on Monday – even as new public opinion polling shows a waning appetite for such a partnership. The China carrot was dangled by successive ministers ahead of and after a meeting of the bloc’s trade council in Brussels, which was attended by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. This is despite... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334031/eu-ministers-court-trump-joint-china-policy-even-public-scepticism-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334031/eu-ministers-court-trump-joint-china-policy-even-public-scepticism-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Denmark’s foreign minister had the top US diplomat in the country summoned for talks after the main national broadcaster reported on Wednesday that at least three people with connections to President Donald Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland. Greenland, a huge semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic, is coveted by Trump. Denmark, a Nato ally of the United States, and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the US gathering... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3323359/denmark-demands-answers-us-over-report-trump-allies-covert-greenland-activities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3323359/denmark-demands-answers-us-over-report-trump-allies-covert-greenland-activities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:27:44 +0000