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London: European leaders are warning of a “dangerous downward spiral” in relations with the United States in the dispute over Greenland, hardening their stance against US President Donald Trump despite the threat of new tariffs on their exports.
But they are being careful to avoid any personal remarks that might inflame the dispute with Trump when the argument has the potential to wreck the NATO alliance.
Denmark’s prime minister says Europe won’t be blackmailed by Trump’s threat of tariffs against eight NATO member states.Credit: AP
Instead, the eight top leaders are turning Trump’s demands into a test of sovereignty for them all – and something they will not trade away.
“We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” says the statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.
“Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind.
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“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”
A key point in the statement is the reference to “our” sovereignty, not just the borders of Greenland or Denmark. The European leaders see this as a bigger question because Trump is using economic coercion so nakedly against them.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen sums this up in a message that welcomes the support from neighbours.
“Europe will not be blackmailed,” she writes. “At the same time, it is now even clearer that this is an issue that reaches far beyond our own borders.”
There is no sign, so far, of an urgent meeting of the leaders to show their unity against Trump. There is talk of a meeting of their ambassadors.
While some media outlets are calling this an “emergency” meeting, the European strategy seems designed to avoid a sense of panic.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said Greenland’s status is not up for discussion.Credit: AP
Trump is using tactics that convey drama and heighten pressure by setting a deadline of February 1 for new tariffs of 10 per cent on the eight countries. He says this will climb to 25 per cent on June 1.
The president seems to take offence at a small military exercise by the eight nations to support Denmark in recent days, in an operation called Arctic Endurance. This involves about 15 personnel from France and the same from Germany, but only a single officer from Britain.
There is not much time for Trump to cool down, but he has pushed back the deadlines with his tariff threats in the past.
This time, the European leaders may want to avoid the impression that they are rushing to compromise. Many of them have a chance to talk to Trump within days, when he attends the World Economic Forum in Davos.
‘No intimidation or threat will influence us – neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations’.
Emmanuel Macron, president of FranceNATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says he hopes to see Trump in Davos. There is no announcement, so far, of a broader summit on the sidelines of the Swiss gathering.
“We do not want a tariff war, but we are not afraid of one,” the Chinese government said last October, during one of several disputes with the US on trade.
For the Europeans, the lesson of the past year is that giving ground to Trump in one argument over tariffs will not bring any genuine certainty because there is likely to be another argument, and another tariff threat.
Extreme move
While there is talk about Europe reacting with decisions on defence, such as threatening to withdraw their support for American bases in their countries, this would be an extreme move that would only weaken security for them all.
The danger to watch for is a decision by Trump to cut military support to NATO forces in Europe, forcing countries to commit more to the alliance. Republicans are declaring he has gone too far with his tariff threat against NATO allies, so they may attempt to restrain him from making things worse.
While the message from Europe may not change Trump’s mind, there is a chance that the counsel from Republican supporters could prevent him from greater damage to the NATO alliance.
The formal rejection from the eight European leaders adds to remarks in the hours after Trump announced his new move.
The most provocative is French President Emmanuel Macron, who seems to draw a parallel between American pressure over Greenland and Russian pressure over Ukraine.
“No intimidation or threat will influence us – neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations,” Macron says on X.
“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context.”
Macron, like others, is taking a firm line in public. Now the question is whether Trump thinks better of his decision, or chooses instead to escalate the pressure.
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