“Europe will not allow itself to be blackmailed”. How European states that support Greenland are responding to Trump's tariff threats

The eight European countries threatened by US President Donald Trump with additional tariffs because they oppose the acquisition of Greenland by the US issued a joint statement on Sunday expressing solidarity with the people of Greenland, as an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and underlining the importance of the Arctic island's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Reuters reports.

“As members of NATO, we are committed to strengthening security in the Arctic, in the common transatlantic interest,” Finland, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden said in the joint statement with Denmark.

“Threats of tariffs undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” the signatory states said, referring to Trump's announcement on Saturday that they would be subject to additional tariffs of 10 percent from February 1.

“We are in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland. Based on the process started last week, we are ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we strongly support,” the eight countries said in the joint statement.

Their message is similar to the one delivered by European Union leaders on Saturday night after Trump's tariff threats. “Taxes would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated and committed to defending its sovereignty,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa said in a statement.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also warned that the increased tariffs would hurt prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, while distracting the EU from its “primary task” of ending Russia's war in Ukraine. “China and Russia are probably having a great time. They are the ones benefiting from the divisions between the allies,” Kallas wrote on X.

• Trump on Saturday threatened several European countries – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland – to impose additional tariffs on them until “an agreement for the full and complete sale of Greenland” is reached. This surcharge, of 10%, will become effective from February 1 and could reach 25% on June 1, Trump said.

“Europe will not allow itself to be blackmailed by the USA”

Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said in a written statement that she was pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent, adding: “Europe will not allow itself to be blackmailed,” a view shared by Germany's finance minister and Sweden's prime minister.

“The Kingdom of Denmark is receiving significant support,” Frederiksen wrote on Facebook, noting that he had “intense dialogues” with his allies, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as part of coordination with the allies. At the same time, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen is these days on a diplomatic tour in Norway, Great Britain and Sweden.

His position was also supported by the Netherlands. “What he is doing is blackmail,” Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said on Dutch television, referring to Trump's threat.

“Trump also has a lot to lose”

Donald Trump, who is threatening European countries with additional tariffs for their opposition to his plans to impose US control over Greenland, “in turn has a lot to lose”, French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said on Sunday, according to AFP.

“In this escalation of tariffs, he also has a lot to lose, including for his own farmers, including for his own industries,” she told Europe 1/Les Echos/CNews.

“This threat… we will see if he will implement it,” Genevard added. “The European Union has a possible strike force” from a commercial point of view, she explained, adding that “this is a response that must be handled with caution, because this escalation can be deadly, but it can also be deadly for the US.”

“It is clear that the Europeans will resist the USA”, declared Annie Genevard, also estimating that an imposition of American control over the huge Danish autonomous territory is “unacceptable and unimaginable”.

An emergency meeting of EU ambassadors is set to take place on Sunday evening, as French President Emmanuel Macron talks to European counterparts about this unprecedented crisis between NATO members.

According to a source in the French president's entourage, quoted by AFP, Emmanuel Macron, who is “in constant contact with his European counterparts”, will request the “activation of the anti-coercion tool” of the EU if Trump's threats of customs surcharges are implemented.