“`html
Amid ongoing deliberations among European leaders regarding President Donald Trump’s tariff threats related to Greenland, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen asserted that “Europe won’t be blackmailed.”
President Trump has indicated his intention to impose new tariffs on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK – starting in February if they resist his proposed acquisition of the autonomous Danish territory.
He maintains that Greenland is crucial for US security and has not dismissed the possibility of acquiring it by force, a stance that has provoked widespread condemnation.
The nations facing potential tariffs have issued a joint statement, cautioning that President Trump’s strategy could trigger a “dangerous downward spiral.”
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations,” the statement reads, reaffirming their “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.”
The signatories emphasized their “commitment to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest” as members of the NATO alliance.
“We stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind,” the statement concludes.
Separately, Prime Minister Frederiksen stated on Facebook: “We want to cooperate and we are not the ones seeking conflict. And I am happy for the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.”
“It is all the more important that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community.”
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had had phone calls on Sunday with Frederiksen, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, before speaking to Trump.
A spokeswoman for Starmer’s office said he had reiterated his position that Greenland’s security was a priority for all Nato members. “He also said that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is wrong,” the spokeswoman added.
President Trump has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, which would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25% – and would last until a deal was reached.
“These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable,” he wrote, adding: “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Planet”.
The US president insists Greenland is critical for US security and has said previously that Washington would get the territory “the easy way” or “the hard way”.
Greenland is a sparsely populated but resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday told NBC News’ Meet the Press that “Greenland can only be defended if it is part of the US, and it will not need to be defended if it is part of the US”.
“I believe that the Europeans will understand that this is best for Greenland, best for Europe and best for the United States,” he said.
It is still unclear how the tariffs will affect those Trump has already imposed on the UK and EU. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is working to co-ordinate the European response to the tariff threats, said he would request that the EU activate its “anti-coercion instrument” if Trump does impose them.
The US president is due to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday on the theme “how can we co-operate in a more contested world?” Macron, as well as the leaders of Germany and the EU, will also be attending the annual conference.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who will also be there, said his country was “concerned by the recent escalation” and that it would be “significantly increasing Arctic security — strengthening our military and investing in critical infrastructure”.
“Canada strongly believes that the best way to secure the Arctic is by working together within Nato,” he also wrote on X.
Mark Rutte, meanwhile, said he had spoken to Trump “regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic”.
“We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week,” he added.
Public anger in both Denmark and Greenland at Trump’s threats over Greenland appears undiminished. Demonstrations against Trump’s takeover plans were held in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, on Saturday – before the tariff announcement – as well as in Danish cities.
These rallies coincide with a visit to Copenhagen by a delegation from the US Congress. Its leader, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, described Mr Trump’s rhetoric as “not constructive”.
The island’s representative to the US has said that the last time Greenlanders were asked if they wanted to be part of the US, in January 2025, only 6% were in favour of doing so, while 85% were against.
A recent poll suggests that most Americans also oppose US control of Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was released last Wednesday, indicated just 17% of Americans support the US taking Greenland, compared to 47% who said they opposed Trump’s push to acquire the island.
The troops are an option should Donald Trump decide to use them to quell anti-ICE protests in the city, an official tells CBS News.
Trump’s volatile trade policy has thrown the world economy into chaos, and put some US prices up.
It comes as fresh details emerged in the death of a Minneapolis woman shot last week by an ICE agent in the city.
The US president says several European allies opposed to his plans to buy Greenland will face 10% tariffs from February.
The US president’s latest threats will baffle the leaders of allied nations, writes the BBC’s economics editor.
“`