‘Europe will not be blackmailed,’ Danish PM says in wake of Trump Greenland threats | EUROtoday

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says “Europe won’t be blackmailed”, as she and different European leaders proceed to weigh their response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland.

Trump says he’ll impose new taxes on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK – in February in the event that they oppose his proposed takeover of the autonomous Danish territory.

He insists Greenland is important for US safety and has not dominated out taking it by pressure – a transfer that has drawn widespread criticism.

The nations threatened with tariffs have now issued joint assertion, saying Trump’s plan dangers a “dangerous downward spiral”.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations,” they stated, reiterating that they “stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland”.

The nations burdened they’re “committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest” as members of the Nato army alliance.

“We stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind,” the assertion reads.

Separately, Frederiksen wrote 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.”

It got here as EU members held an emergency assembly in Brussels on Sunday.

Trump has threatened to impose a ten% tariff on items from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, which might come into pressure on 1 February, however might later rise to 25% – and would final till 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, including: “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Planet”.

The US president insists Greenland is important for US safety and has stated beforehand that Washington would get the territory “the easy way” or “the hard way”.

Greenland is a sparsely populated however resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it nicely positioned for early warning programs within the occasion of missile assaults and for monitoring vessels within the area.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday instructed 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 stated.

It remains to be unclear how the tariffs will have an effect on these Trump has already imposed on the UK and EU. French President Emmanuel Macron, who’s working to co-ordinate the European response to the tariff threats, stated he would request that the EU activate its “anti-coercion instrument” if Trump does impose them.

The US president is because of converse on the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday on the theme “how can we co-operate in a more contested world?” Macron, in addition to the leaders of Germany and the EU, can even be attending the annual convention.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who can even be there, stated his nation was “concerned by the recent escalation” and that it will 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 additionally wrote on X.

The head of Nato, Mark Rutte, in the meantime, stated 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 each Denmark and Greenland at Trump’s threats over Greenland seems undiminished. Demonstrations towards Trump’s takeover plans had been held in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, on Saturday – earlier than the tariff announcement – in addition to in Danish cities.

These rallies coincide with a go to to Copenhagen by a delegation from the US Congress. Its chief, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, described Mr Trump’s rhetoric as “not constructive”.

The island’s consultant to the US has stated that the final time Greenlanders had been requested in the event that they needed to be a part of the US, in January 2025, solely 6% had been in favour of doing so, whereas 85% had been towards.

A latest ballot suggests that the majority Americans additionally oppose US management of Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos ballot, which was launched final Wednesday, indicated simply 17% of Americans help the US taking Greenland, in comparison with 47% who stated they opposed Trump’s push to accumulate the island.