Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says “Europe will not be blackmailed”, as she and other European leaders consider their response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats on Greenland.
Trump says he will impose new taxes on eight US allies in February – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK – if they oppose his proposed takeover of the autonomous Danish territory.
He emphasizes that Greenland is vital to US security and has not ruled out annexing it by force – a move that has been widely criticized.
The countries threatening the tariffs have now issued a joint statement, saying Trump’s plan risks “dangerous downsides.”
“The threat of tariffs undermines transatlantic relations,” he said, reiterating that he “stands in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland”.
The countries stressed that they are “committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest” as members of the NATO military alliance.
“We stand ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we strongly support,” the statement said.
Separately, Frederiksen wrote on Facebook: “We want to cooperate and we are not conflict seekers. And I am pleased by the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.”
“It is even more important that we hold fast to the fundamental values that built the European Community.”
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had spoken by phone with Frederiksen as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Sunday before speaking to Trump.
A spokesman for Starmer’s office said he reiterated his position that Greenland’s security is a priority for all NATO members. “He also said it is wrong to impose tariffs on allies that threaten the collective security of NATO allies,” the spokesperson said.
Trump has threatened to impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, which will go into effect on February 1, but could later rise to 25% – and will continue unless a deal is reached.
“These countries, which are playing this very dangerous game, have added a level of risk to the game that is not acceptable or sustainable,” he wrote. “This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet,” he wrote.
The US president insists that Greenland is vital to US security and has previously said whether Washington would get the territory “the easy way” or “the hard way”.
Greenland is a sparsely populated but resource-rich country and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well-positioned to establish early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and to monitor ships in the area.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant told NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday that “Greenland can only be protected if it is part of the US, and it would not need to be protected if it were part of the US”.
He said, “I believe that Europeans will understand that this is best for Greenland, best for Europe and best for the United States.”
It is still unclear what impact the tariffs already imposed by Trump on the UK and EU will have. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is working to coordinate the European response to tariff threats, said he would request that the EU activate its “anti-coercion tool” if Trump imposes tariffs.
The US president will speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday on the topic “How can we cooperate in a more competitive world?” Are going to speak on the topic. Along with Macron, the leaders of Germany and the European Union will also attend the annual conference.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who will be there, said his country is “concerned by the recent increase” and that it would “significantly increase Arctic security – strengthening our military and investing in critical infrastructure”.
“Canada firmly believes that the best way to secure the Arctic is to work together within NATO,” he also wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Mark Rutte said he had spoken to Trump “concerning the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic.”
“We will continue to work on this and I look forward to seeing them in Davos this weekend,” he said.
Public anger in both Denmark and Greenland over Trump’s threats over Greenland has not diminished. Protests against Trump’s takeover plans took place in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, as well as in Danish cities on Saturday, ahead of the tariffs’ announcement.
These rallies coincided with the visit of a US congressional delegation to Copenhagen. Its leader, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, described Mr Trump’s rhetoric as “not constructive”.
The island’s representative in the US has said that the last time Greenlanders were asked in January 2025 whether they wanted to become part of the US, only 6% were in favor of doing so, while 85% were against.
A recent poll shows that a majority of Americans also oppose US control over Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos poll, released last Wednesday, indicated that only 17% of Americans support the US taking Greenland, while 47% said they opposed Trump’s push to acquire the island.