Folks bear Greenlandic flags as they collect in entrance of the U.S. consulate protest towards U.S. President Donald Trump and his introduced intent to accumulate Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland.
Sean Gallup | Getty Photographs Information | Getty Photographs
European leaders have hit again at U.S. President Donald Trump’s risk to impose recent tariffs on them in the event that they oppose his try to purchase Greenland, describing the ultimatum as “fully unsuitable” and “unacceptable.”
Trump introduced on Saturday that eight European allies would face growing tariffs, beginning at 10% on Feb.1 and rising to 25% on June 1, if a deal isn’t reached so Washington can “purchase” the Arctic territory, which is semi-autonomous and a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Eight NATO members’ items despatched to the U.S. will face escalating tariffs “till such time as a Deal is reached for the Full and Whole buy of Greenland,” Trump acknowledged on his social media platform Fact Social on Saturday.
The proposed tariffs would goal Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.Okay, the Netherlands and Finland, Trump stated.
European leaders have been fast to react to the most recent risk with U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer commenting Saturday that “making use of tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective safety of NATO allies is totally unsuitable,” whereas French President Emmanuel Macron described them as “unacceptable.”
“Europeans will reply in a united and coordinated method ought to they be confirmed. We are going to be certain that European sovereignty is upheld,” Macron acknowledged on social media platform X on Saturday,
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa issued an announcement Saturday through which they stated the EU “stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the folks of Greenland.”
It added that it was dedicated to additional dialogue following talks between Denmark, Greenland and prime U.S. officers final week, which ended with out a diplomatic breakthrough.
Nonetheless, Danish Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated Trump’s tariffs risk had come “as a shock” following the “constructive assembly” with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The European Union has referred to as an emergency assembly which is able to happen at 16:00 p.m. London time on Sunday, Reuters reported.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who, like British PM Keir Starmer is understood to have a very good relationship with Donald Trump, referred to as for cool heads and additional talks.
He warned additional tariffs — which might come on prime of the 15% tariff on EU exports to the U.S., and the ten% levied on U.Okay. exports — could be damaging, nevertheless.
“Amongst allies, points are greatest resolved by means of dialogue, not by means of strain,” he stated on X.
“European nations stand united. We emphasize the ideas of territorial integrity and sovereignty. We assist Denmark and Greenland. Dialogue with the US continues. Tariffs would undermine the transatlantic relationship and danger a harmful downward spiral.”
Denmark and its European neighbors have made repeated efforts to dissuade Trump from trying to purchase Greenland, notably after the president stated earlier this month that he would think about all choices to acquire the mineral-rich island, together with utilizing army drive.
Trump says buying Greenland is important for U.S. nationwide safety. He has additionally stated that U.S. possession would stop Russia and China from gaining a foothold within the territory. Beijing and Moscow have lambasted Trump’s claims and his coveting of Greenland, calling them a “pretext …for egocentric beneficial properties” and “extraordinary.”
Younger folks with placards studying “Greenland isn’t on the market!” participate in an illustration that gathered virtually a 3rd of the town inhabitants to protest towards the US President’s plans to take Greenland, on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland, close to the US Consulate to Greenland.
Alessandro Rampazzo | Afp | Getty Photographs
Greenland itself has repeatedly rejected Trump’s advances and whereas a majority of its inhabitants would love independence from Denmark, based on opinion polls, most Greenlanders wouldn’t wish to grow to be part of the U.S., both.
Protests have been held in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on Saturday, with demonstrators holding placards reiterating the place of the island’s management, and that of Denmark, that “Greenland isn’t on the market.”
