Facing the threat of tariffs, European leaders have united to defend the sovereignty of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
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Denmark's Foreign Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, has made it clear that threats and pressure are not the right way to achieve goals.
— We have red lines that cannot be crossed. You can't threaten to take over Greenland, he said in an interview with Sky News.
Escalating tensions and trade threats
Trump announced that from February 1 he would introduce a 10 percent tariff on all goods imported to the US from Great Britain, and from June 1 this rate would increase to 25 percent. Similar restrictions are to apply to products from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland – NATO countries that oppose American plans for Greenland.
The US president confirmed in an interview with NBC News that he is ready to carry out his threat “100 percent”.
When asked about the possibility of using force in the Greenland case, Trump declined to comment. At the same time, in his public statements he emphasized the strategic importance of this territory.
— Greenland is essential to national and global security. There is no turning back, the president said on social media.
Europe resists
The UK, through its Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, recalled that only its inhabitants and the Danes can decide the future of Greenland. A similar position was taken by the European Union, which convened an extraordinary summit in Brussels to discuss the response to the US actions. — Trade threats are not the way to solve this problem. Sovereignty is not for sale, emphasized Kaja Kallas, head of EU diplomacy.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed hope to avoid an escalation of the trade conflict with the USA. — We don't want this escalation. We do not want a trade dispute with the United States of America, he said, announcing talks with Trump during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Symbolic support for Greenland
In recent days, European NATO members have shown symbolic support for Greenland by sending small groups of soldiers to its territory. Although these actions were symbolic, Trump responded by announcing tariffs on goods from eight alliance countries. Denmark warned that further escalation could threaten NATO's existence.
In addition to the tensions over Greenland, there was also controversy over the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, in correspondence with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, accused Norway of controlling the award process, which the Prime Minister strongly rejected. — Norway's position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark in this matter, Store emphasized.
