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Europe Unites Against Trump's Greenland Takeover Bid Amid Tariff Threats

Top European leaders have issued a firm commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark following US President Donald Trump's expressed interest in acquiring the Arctic territory. Trump has threatened to impose escalating tariffs on several European nations unless they agree to sell Greenland, framing the move as a national security necessity. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has spoken with Trump regarding the Arctic security situation and plans to meet him in Davos. A coalition of European countries has released a joint statement declaring solidarity with Denmark and warning that tariff threats risk damaging transatlantic relations.

Key Points: Europe Vows to Uphold Greenland Sovereignty as Trump Pushes Takeover

  • EU leaders affirm sovereignty commitment
  • Trump threatens tariffs to force Greenland sale
  • NATO chief discusses Arctic security with Trump
  • Joint European statement rejects tariff threats
3 min read

Top European leaders vow to uphold Greenland's sovereignty as Trump, seeking takeover, says "It will be done"

European leaders pledge to protect Greenland and Denmark's sovereignty after Trump threatens tariffs to force a sale, citing strategic Arctic interests.

"Together we stand firm in our commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. - Ursula von der Leyen"

Brussels, January 19

European leaders have affirmed that they "will uphold" the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark to protect Europe's strategic economic and security interests amid US President Donald Trump's interest in taking over the Arctic island.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on X that she spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss recent tensions.

"Together we stand firm in our commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. We will always protect our strategic economic and security interests. We will face these challenges to our European solidarity with steadiness and resolve," she added in her X post.

Following this, US President Trump issued a statement, saying, "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.' Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!"

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke with Trump on Sunday (local time) regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic, amid the US threat to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Denmark and other European Union countries.

Rutte said he would meet Trump later this week in Davos.

On X, he posted, "Spoke with POTUS 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." Rutte did not share further details of the discussion.

Several European countries have released a joint statement showing solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom said that the 'Arctic Endurance' exercise does not pose a threat to anyone and emphasised that the threat of tariffs undermines transatlantic relations and risks a dangerous downward spiral.

On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the United Kingdom and other European countries unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory.

He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support.

Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland are the countries Trump mentioned in his post, which are now under fire from his tariff threats.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see this play out. While the US has strategic interests, threatening allies with tariffs to force a land sale sets a dangerous precedent. It feels like colonial-era tactics are being revived, just with economic threats instead of military ones. Solidarity among European nations is crucial here.
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Vikram M
Honestly, as an Indian, this sounds like a big distraction. The real issues are climate change, poverty, and global health. Instead of fighting over an ice-covered island, world leaders should focus on collaborative solutions. The Arctic is melting, and that's the actual crisis.
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Rohit P
Trump's "it will be done" attitude is worrying. No country, no matter how powerful, should bully another into giving up territory. Denmark is a sovereign nation, and Greenland belongs to its people. This is a matter of principle. Europe must not back down.
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Priya S
While I understand the strategic importance of the Arctic, the method is all wrong. Using tariffs as a weapon against allies destroys trust. It reminds me of how global powers sometimes treat smaller nations. Hope sense prevails and this is resolved through dialogue, not threats.
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Michael C
Respectfully, I think the European response, while principled, might be missing a pragmatic point. If the Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic is real (as cited), perhaps a new security arrangement *with* Denmark, not a takeover, could be discussed. The tariff threat is counterproductive, though.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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