Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says “Europe won’t be blackmailed”, as she and other European leaders continue to weigh their response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland.
Trump says he will impose new taxes on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK – in February if they oppose his proposed takeover of the autonomous Danish territory.
He insists Greenland is critical for US security and has not ruled out taking it by force – a move that has drawn widespread criticism.
The countries threatened with tariffs have now issued joint statement, saying Trump’s plan risks a “dangerous downward spiral”.
Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations,” they said, reiterating that they “stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland”.
The countries stressed 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 a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind,” the statement 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 came as EU members held an emergency meeting in Brussels on Sunday.
