Europe Today: Trump's state dinner for Xi Jinping, Pope Leo's first visit to France

Name: Europe Today: Trump's state dinner for Xi Jinping, Pope Leo's first visit to France
Uploaded: 2026-09-25T06:53:19+00:00
Duration: 18 min 51 s
Channel: euronews (in English)

00:14good morning and yes it's Friday September 25th you're watching your news

00:20and this is Europe today coming up Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for a

00:27high-stakes summit yesterday culminating in a state dinner at the White House it

00:31was the first official state visit from a Chinese leader in the US in over a

00:35decade as tensions between the two countries remain high the CIA warned

00:40several European countries of possible Russian attacks against targets in

00:44Spain France or Italy according to Spanish media Moscow could launch drones

00:49with a range of 600 kilometers from merchant vessels and hope Leo the 14th

00:56arrives in Paris today for an apostolic visit to France that will include

01:00pokemobile parades an open-air mass on the Champs Elysees and a trip to the

01:05sanctuary of Lourdes it's the first papal state visit to France since 2008

01:11welcome to the program I'm Stefan Grobe US President Trump has thrown China's

01:17leader Xi Jinping a state dinner featuring a tech heavy guest list as well as a

01:22number of billionaires Washington power brokers and business leaders the

01:26dinner on Thursday night wrapped up a day of talks between the two leaders that

01:30did not erase differences over issues like Iran Taiwan AI and trade the meeting

01:37was closely watched in Europe as every meaningful agreement between Washington

01:41and Beijing has also an impact on the EU as EU commissioner Stefan Sejourney told

01:47Euronews

01:48we need a constructive dialogue between China and the United States and we saw last year

01:56that the escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing over these issues could lead to a trade war

02:01this could also affect the European economy so yes I hope this dialogue will be constructive and

02:08we can reach an agreement and that we can stabilize the situation

02:11to make sense of what happened between Trump and Xi Jinping let's bring in Ian Lesser

02:23now distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States

02:27good morning Ian good to see you Stefan very good to be with you thank you

02:32so Trump hosting Xi at the White House was this primarily a summit about managing

02:38rivalry or the beginning of a new friendship

02:42oh I would say managing rivalry and I think both leaders bring to the table you know their own agenda

02:49of

02:50that kind even though you know we don't know all the details of what came out

02:53apparently though there were no blow-ups if you could say there was nothing deeply negative on the other hand

02:58there wasn't a lot of progress on a lot of the substantive issues on trade and tech and other things

03:03people were looking for

03:04but really it was all about the symbolism and the symbolism really in a sense is the substance to manage

03:11rivalry

03:13China you know can come away from this perceiving that it was treated as an equal

03:18and President Trump can also come away with what he could describe as a success

03:23but also you know looking over his shoulder at the American political scene where you know tougher attitudes on China

03:29are there on both sides of the aisle Democrats and Republicans

03:33so you know there were certain risks in coming off as too much of a success for President Trump as

03:39well

03:39I think it's some you know the result comes out somewhere in the middle

03:42so both sides were talking about strategic stability

03:46but underneath the diplomatic language there was enormous mistrust

03:50so how far could Trump and Xi actually reduce tensions

03:55I think this does in some sense go a long way

03:59this kind of very high level very personalized diplomacy

04:03both leaders apparently value this both systems in a sense value this

04:07you know it does make a difference the optics matter

04:11but as you say there are a lot of unresolved issues

04:14some of them are very technical kind

04:16and not things without a lot of preparation beforehand

04:20an agreement beforehand

04:21not things that were likely to be settled at a summit like this

04:24and so the fact on trade for example

04:26that the sort of trade war truce if you like

04:29has been extended for another few months

04:31is something of a success

04:32but it also leaves a lot of work to be done

04:34I gotta ask you this Ian

04:37yesterday Trump caused consternation among European leaders

04:41by inviting Vladimir Putin to the upcoming G20 summit in Miami

04:46your reaction to that?

04:49Well this is going to be viewed very negatively

04:51in a lot of places not least in Europe

04:53where there's you know no desire to give what might be seen as a diplomatic gift to President Putin

05:04as the war in Ukraine drags on

05:06and the sanctions are getting tougher

05:08and there is a certain irony in this

05:10in that the United States itself just enacted tougher sanctions on Russia

05:13whether he actually comes to Florida for the G20 meeting is unclear

05:18but even the invitation is going to upset a lot of people to be sure

05:22but to go back to our earlier conversation

05:24it's another piece of evidence just in terms of the style of the administration

05:29President Trump's engagement with the world

05:31he sees it very much through individual leaderships

05:34and so in that sense the invitation wasn't surprising

05:38all right good stuff Ian Lesser distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund

05:42thank you very much

05:44now just days after his country and the United States inked a deal on Greenland

05:50Martin Liedegaard was the first Danish ministers to speak exclusively to Euronews about the agreement

05:56the deal de-escalated a months-long diplomatic crisis over the Arctic territory

06:02triggered by threats from US President Trump to seize it by force

06:06the business minister expressed hope that a new chapter can now begin

06:11for more on this I'm joined by Euronews' Lauren Walker

06:15good morning Lauren

06:17so what sense did you get from Minister Liedegaard on how momentous this agreement is?

06:23yeah good morning Stefan

06:24so I think there is a clear consensus here that this is a very positive outcome

06:29Denmark and Greenland I think it's fair to say will be breathing this sense of relief

06:35the sigh of relief because the agreement essentially brings an end to months of uncertainties

06:41and diplomatic difficulties for both parties

06:45cast your mind back to the start of this year where Trump threatened several EU countries with sanctions

06:52now this was in response basically to them criticizing another threat he made

06:58that he would quote-unquote take Greenland

07:01now over this he cited national security concerns

07:04obviously we need to bear in mind as well that there are these

07:08it's a strategic location for the US and the mineral wealth of Greenland as well

07:13now when we look at the agreement itself it's not really a new agreement

07:18it's more of rebranding adding on to an agreement from 1951

07:23but there are some key differences here

07:26one being Greenland as a signatory

07:28that's very very important obviously to Greenland

07:31and then there are also these clauses that they've added

07:33that basically closes the door of Greenland for mining and military purposes

07:39to non-EU, non-NATO countries

07:42unless obviously all three signatories agree otherwise

07:46and this mining, Martin Ludegard also told me

07:49is very very important for Nuke

07:51we've also heard this from Nuke themselves

07:53because they really want to exploit the raw critical materials that they have in Greenland

08:00Nuke of course being the capital of Greenland

08:02now from what you say can we identify winners and losers here?

08:07So I want to start obviously with the Greenlanders

08:10they will be very very happy because this agreement

08:12it really recognizes their right to basically decide on their own future

08:18Denmark as I said is very very happy because it brings an end to this very very difficult

08:23tumultuous period for them

08:25Ludegard himself also said that they're now hoping this will bring a new chapter

08:30a lot of it obviously does evolve around the US military and civilian access to Greenland

08:37we've already heard these reports of two additional military bases

08:41the US already has one on Greenland

08:44they now want to create two other ones

08:46so that's very very important for them

08:48I think it is important to say though

08:51and it's very notable that the agreement does stop short of this call from Trump

08:56that he wanted Greenland basically to be recognized as US territory

09:01the agreement does not do that

09:03however this hasn't stopped Trump from making claims in recent days

09:07that the agreement gives him existential permanent control over Greenland

09:14I put these claims to the Danish minister because obviously I was very interested to hear

09:18does Denmark does Copenhagen see this as in total

09:23how would we say in total contrast with what it says in the agreement that this is Denmark's sovereignty

09:29but he brushed off any of these comments

09:33there was a very clear consensus here that they wanted to focus on the positive

09:37and he told me all three parties are winners here

09:40let's take a listen

09:41well this is an agreement which all three parties are very satisfied by

09:47and we are satisfied because that the territorial integrity is intact

09:54that we ensure the self-dependence of the Greenland people

09:59and I think that the Americans are very happy about the fact that they have a huge access to the

10:05Greenland territory

10:06when it comes to military bases but also when it comes to minerals and stuff like that

10:11and the Greenlandic are very happy about it because they have their self-dependence

10:15and of course can decide their own future

10:18and then the different parties put different weight on different part of the agreement

10:24and would you say you're positive that this agreement will now set a course that we can avoid any escalation

10:31or the threats that we saw earlier over Greenland coming from the US?

10:35Yes, very much so and it is my hope and my belief that now we can start a new chapter

10:42where we try to invest together in the security and the development of the Arctic region

10:48also when it comes to nature and climate but not least when it comes to defence and mining

10:54In this agreement it states that only EU or NATO countries can invest in Greenland

11:00I want to ask you firstly, does this mean that there will be more, let's say, more investment in Greenland

11:07perhaps more exploitation of critical raw materials in Greenland?

11:13I hope so and I also think that the Greenlandic government hopes so

11:18there is a huge desire in Greenland, you know, to grow, to create new jobs

11:24and also to, when it comes to mining, have a bigger sector than today

11:28and that, you know, you need investors, you need capital but you also need a market

11:35and here I sincerely hope that the EU can play a role

11:39we need many supply chains when it comes to critical raw materials

11:44I hope Greenland can be one of them

11:45And what implications will this have on the EU

11:49which is so clearly trying to secure its independence from other countries

11:54when it comes to these critical raw materials supplies?

11:58I actually don't think so

11:59I think there are minerals enough in Greenland that all who are interested to invest in Greenland

12:04can actually do it and benefit from it

12:06but it will of course be up to the Greenland government

12:09who they deal with, where and in which way

12:13but as I hear the Greenland government, they are open for business

12:17both with Europe and with the US

12:22All right, our Lauren Walker there speaking to the Danish minister Martin Liedegaard

12:27A mass migration surge from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July

12:33has led to a deterioration of relations between Madrid and Rabat

12:38and it has revived the debate over migration in Europe

12:41Our correspondent Maya de la Beaume spoke with Marion Maréchal

12:46a French far-right member of the European Parliament

12:48and a niece of Marine Le Pen

12:50Maya started by asking her about the reason for her visit to Ceuta this week

12:58To alert Europeans to the fact that the problem has not been completely resolved

13:03Today there are still several thousand people who continue to stay illegally in this enclave of Ceuta

13:08We are talking about a minimum of one sexual assault per day, if not several rapes

13:13Today there are a dozen dangerous jihadist profiles that are now identified by the Spanish intelligence services and are wanted

13:19And above all, we do not yet have a lasting solution, if I may say so

13:24because we know that today there are a certain number of illegal migrants who are transferred to Spain

13:29Spain is now in the Schengen area

13:31And so the objective of my presence is also to send a political signal

13:34and to say that tomorrow we will have to deal with the subject, the functioning of the Schengen area on

13:39the one hand

13:40and on the other hand, the subject of asylum law and its misuse

13:43which is today one of the main routes of illegal immigration in Europe

13:50The European Union has put in place new migration rules since June

13:54in particular allowing member states to create these famous return centers outside Europe

13:58Do you think that's enough?

14:02This is one of the proposals among a whole range of proposals

14:05that should allow us to more easily intercept and return illegal immigrants to European soil today

14:10A very important step, but once again, it is not enough

14:13Tomorrow we will also have to tackle the issue of asylum

14:16which, I would remind you, is first and foremost governed by European law

14:20and which is a massive illegal immigration channel today

14:23We must focus on the free movement within the Schengen area

14:26which has become dangerous today for all European residents and citizens

14:30and I will tell you, I'm very hopeful that we will succeed

14:33because if by chance tomorrow Marine Lupin is brought to power in France

14:37if Giorgia Meloni is re-elected

14:39we would have the possibility of having a Franco-Italian couple on these immigration issues

14:44who work together to reorient Europe in the right direction

14:49Would you go so far as to close the border between France and Spain?

14:53Because we know that France did not close the border

14:55it put border controls in place

15:00Personally, I fully understand the legitimate decision of Giorgia Meloni to have closed their borders

15:05since I remind you, we do not say it enough

15:07there are among these influxes of migrants potential jihadis

15:10and that is very well documented by the Spanish intelligence services

15:14so there is a security threat

15:15So it would seem common sense to me, for reasons mainly of security

15:19but also of defending our European identity

15:21to no longer defend free movement for all

15:24which obviously makes us, I'd say, puts us hostage

15:27when socialist governments, like that of Pedro Sanchez, regulate massively

15:31since it is all of Europe that is suddenly paying the consequences

15:35Are we not dealing with a case of human rights violation?

15:40That is the problem, if you will

15:41Today most migration laws are no longer defined in national assemblies and parliaments

15:46but by the case law of the courts and in particular the Constitutional Council

15:50and that is not acceptable, if you want it

15:52because we have major principles, that of our social pact through the Constitution

15:56but which has been interpreted, over-interpreted and sometimes even misguided

16:00which means that today we no longer have perfect control of who can return, stay or be expelled from the

16:06French territory

16:11Marion Maréchal, they are interviewed by Maya de la Boume

16:15Now, it's a major test for Pope Leo XIV as he prepares for his first apostolic visit to France today

16:22The Pope will confront a country with deep Catholic roots, but with a rapidly changing relationship with religion

16:29His message will go beyond the Church itself

16:32Europe's future, migration, peace and the challenges facing a continent under pressure will all be on the agenda

16:40Let's head over to Paris, where our correspondent Estelle Nilsson-Julien is standing by for us

16:47Good morning Estelle

16:48So, what are the vibes hours before the Pope's arrival?

16:52What are people saying?

16:55Well, good morning Stefan from the heart of Paris

16:58Where the city is awaiting the Pope's arrival later today

17:02Over a million visitors are expected to flock to the city over the course of the Pope's two-day trip

17:07here

17:08And later today, he will celebrate Vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral, which is just here behind me

17:13On Saturday afternoon, the Pope will also lead an open-air mass near the Champs-Elysées and Place de la

17:19Concorde

17:20With 600,000 people expected to attend, before he then later heads to Lourdes and Metz

17:27As you can imagine, the entire city is under tight control

17:31A vast security apparatus has been deployed

17:34I was standing by the Seine earlier and I was moved twice by police officers

17:38As they told me that they were tightening a protocol around the area

17:41So you could say that Paris is a fortress

17:44It's a protective bubble at present

17:47With Rafale anti-fighter jets, armed helicopters and anti-drone systems

17:52Deployed to ensure optimal security

17:54But earlier this week, France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez

17:58Said that no major security threats had been identified so far

18:03So yes, things seem to be in order

18:06And what we're waiting for in France is for church bells to ring for 7 minutes at 10am

18:12Which is the time at which the Pope is expected to land on French Soul at Paris or Orly Airport

18:19Alright Estelle, thank you so much

18:21I'm happy for you that you can experience your first visit of a Pope in France

18:27And I hope you'll continue to cover that for us

18:30Thank you very much

18:31Now, that does it for us today

18:33Thank you for watching

18:35Have an excellent weekend

18:36I'm Stefan Grobe and I see you again on Monday

18:39...

18:45...

18:46...

18:49We'll have one for you

Europe Today: Trump's state dinner for Xi Jinping, Pope Leo's first visit to France

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