Tensions flared up between Trump and European countries over Greenland

The eight European countries threatened by US President Donald Trump with additional tariffs over opposing his ambitions to take over Denmark’s Greenland reaffirmed their unity of position on Sunday, as the European Union considers possible responses.

An emergency meeting of ambassadors of the bloc’s 27 member states began in Brussels on Sunday evening, according to diplomatic sources.

Although it’s not expected to yield immediate results, the meeting will allow for an exchange of views on possible responses to Trump’s new threats that have sparked strong reactions.

In parallel, the Danish foreign minister has begun a diplomatic tour involving Norway, the United Kingdom and Sweden, three NATO allies and members, to discuss strengthening NATO’s role in Arctic security.

During his visit to Norway, Rasmussen warned that the world order and NATO’s future were at stake.

“I’ve no doubts that there is strong European support,” he said.

“We’ve a strike force… When we flex our muscles collectively and in solidarity, that’s of course what we have to do”.

In a joint statement, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden stressed that threats of tariffs undermine transatlantic relations and threaten a serious deterioration”.

“We’ll continue to stand united and coordinated in our response… We’re committed to preserving our sovereignty”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Together, we reaffirm our firm commitment to defending the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark”.

Trump stepped up his tone on Saturday after sending European military personnel to the island in recent days as part of Danish exercises.

“Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have gone to Greenland to an unknown destination… These countries that are playing this very dangerous game, have adopted an unacceptable and unsustainable level of risk”.

Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on countries involved in military deployment until an agreement is reached on a full and comprehensive purchase of Greenland.

The additional 10% fee will come into effect on 1 February and could rise to 25% on 1 June.

“As members of NATO, we are determined to strengthen Arctic security, which is a common transatlantic interest,” the G8 countries said on Sunday.

“The pre-coordinated Danish exercises, conducted with our allies, meet this need and do not pose a threat to any party,” they added.

“We express our full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland… Based on the process that began last week, we are ready to enter into a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we vigorously defend”.

On Sunday evening, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he had discussed with Trump the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic.

“We’re continuing our efforts in this regard, and I look forward to meeting him in Davos at the end of the week,” he said, without elaborating on the content of the phone call.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed the need to counter Trump’s threats.

Macron said he planned to activate the EU’s anti-coercion mechanism if Trump follows through on his threats to impose additional tariffs.

This mechanism, which requires a qualified majority of EU member states, allows in particular to freeze access to European public procurement markets or prevent certain investments.

During her visit to Seoul, Meloni confirmed that she had spoken to Trump to inform him that his threats with the cartoons were a mistake, which Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel also described as incomprehensible, inappropriate and akin to a blackmail operation.

His Irish counterpart, Helen McEntee, said the threats were “totally unacceptable and deeply regrettable”.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Storr responded to a question about the possibility of countermeasures after Trump’s threat, saying: “No, this isn’t under discussion at the moment”.

European Council President António Costa announced on Sunday that EU leaders would meet in the coming days to coordinate their response.

A European official said Costa was considering holding the summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Since returning to power a year ago, Trump has repeatedly talked about control of the vast island between North America and Europe, citing national security considerations in light of Russian and Chinese advances in the Arctic.

Trump also uses the weapon of trade restrictions extensively in international relations, including with Washington’s traditional partners.

But his decision on Saturday on the tariffs is an unprecedented step.

The United States, NATO’s cornerstone, is threatening its allies with sanctions for acquiring territory belonging to a partner.

On Saturday, thousands of people demonstrated, mainly in Copenhagen and Greenland’s capital, Knock, denouncing these regional ambitions and chanting Greenland isn’t for sale”.

Republican US Congressman Michael McCaul said that the possibility of President Donald Trump occupying Greenland militarily would mean a war with NATO.

He added in remarks on Sunday on ABC News, that the United States may be able to buy Greenland, but any military option would have serious consequences.

He explained that Trump has full military access to Greenland to protect us from any threats.

“So, if he wants to buy Greenland, that’s a different matter… If a military occupation is initiated, it would fully activate Article 5 of the NATO Agreement, effectively leading to war with the Alliance”.

He warned that if such developments occur, it would mean the complete elimination of NATO.

Trump has repeatedly declared that his country needs Greenland for national security purposes and that its “necessary to build the Golden Dome.

Following a meeting in Washington between the foreign ministers of the United States, Denmark and Greenland, they stated that fundamental differences still exist and that the desire of the United States to control Greenland is clear.

Greenland, which belongs to Denmark and is self-governing, is the world’s largest island, and is centrally located in the Arctic, which is gaining increasing importance as ice melts due to the climate crisis and opens up new trade routes.

Greenland, one of the two autonomous regions of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Faroe Islands, is more than 2,900 kilometers from Denmark.