Trump Vs Europe: EU Ambassadors to hold emergency talks after Greenland tariffs threat

BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON: European Union (EU) ambassadors are set to hold an emergency meeting today after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on eight allied countries that oppose his plan to acquire Greenland.

Trump announced that a 10 per cent tariff would take effect from February 1 on goods imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, with the rate potentially rising to 25 per cent in June. He said the tariffs would remain until a deal is reached for the “complete and total purchase of Greenland,” arguing that US control of the island is necessary for national security and the operation of a new “Golden Dome” defense system. Trump also claimed that China and Russia have interests in Greenland, making US ownership critical for “world peace.”

European leaders have strongly criticized the threat. The United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “completely wrong” to target allies for pursuing collective NATO security, while French President Emmanuel Macron described the move as “unacceptable.” Other leaders, including officials from Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands, condemned the economic coercion, emphasizing that disputes among allies should be resolved through dialogue rather than pressure.

Protests against Trump’s Greenland plans have taken place in several Danish cities as well as in Nuuk, Greenland, where demonstrators held banners reading, “Greenland is for Greenlanders.” Danish lawmakers warned that Trump’s threats risk turning allies into adversaries and described the approach as a form of “economic blackmail.”

The EU meeting, scheduled for 16:00 GMT, is expected to discuss a coordinated response to the US tariffs and consider diplomatic options to address the escalating tensions.