Trump said the United States would impose increasing tariffs on eight European nations rejecting a U.S. purchase of Greenland starting Feb. 1.
European Union leaders said after an emergency meeting on Jan. 18 that their nations are ready to defend themselves after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on Europe as pressure in his bid to take control of the North American island.
After the emergency talks, EU Council President Antonio Costa said that member states agree that tariffs “would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-U.S. trade agreement.”
Costa said that EU leaders had expressed “readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion.”
Costa is expected to convene a full summit of EU leaders later this week.
The meeting comes as Trump has ramped up his efforts to gain control of Greenland for the United States, citing the island’s strategic importance, natural resources, and suggesting that adversaries like Russia or China could move in if the United States doesn’t.
Trump is planning to add a 10 percent tariff onto Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland starting on Feb. 1, which would increase to 25 percent on June 1, according to a Truth Social post he made on Jan. 17, “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
Trump has said the United States needs Greenland for national security purposes and warned that “world peace is at stake” if the United States does not succeed in obtaining Greenland.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Jan. 17.
He has said that if the United States doesn’t gain control of Greenland, China or Russia will take it.
Meanwhile, the eight European nations, which are already subject to 10 percent or 15 percent tariffs by the United States, have sent a small military presence to Greenland.
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” the group of eight countries said in a joint statement on Jan. 18.
The military deployment is intended to bolster Arctic security “as a shared transatlantic interest” and poses no threat to anyone, the nations said, adding that they are ready for dialogue with the United States “based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity“ that they ”stand firmly behind.”
“We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” the eight countries said.
“We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”
According to an English translation of her written statement, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “Since the U.S. President’s announcement of tariffs, the [Danish] government has been in intensive dialogue with our allies.”
“It is all the more important that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community. We want to cooperate, and we are not the ones seeking conflict,” she said. “And I am pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.”
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson echoed Frederiksen in a social media post on Jan. 17: “Only Denmark and Greenland decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
“This is an EU issue that affects many more countries than those now being singled out,” he said. “Sweden is now having intensive discussions with other EU countries, Norway, and the United Kingdom for a coordinated response.”
By Jacob Burg and Joseph Lord
