‘Europe will not be blackmailed,’ Danish PM says in wake of Trump Greenland threats

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/01c3/live/d7ad9170-f49b-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks at a press conference " class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters Mette Frederiksen and different European allies are standing in solidarity with Greenland, regardless of Trump's menace of tariffs

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says "Europe will not be blackmailed", as she and different European leaders proceed to weigh their response to US President Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland.

Trump says he'll impose new taxes on eight US allies - Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK - in February in the event that they oppose his proposed takeover of the autonomous Danish territory.

He insists Greenland is important for US safety and has not dominated out taking it by power - a transfer that has drawn widespread criticism.

The international locations threatened with tariffs have now issued joint assertion, saying Trump's plan dangers a "harmful downward spiral".

"Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations," they mentioned, reiterating that they "stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the folks of Greenland".

The international locations careworn they're "dedicated to strengthening Arctic safety as a shared transatlantic curiosity" as members of the Nato army alliance.

"We stand prepared to interact in a dialogue primarily based on the ideas of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind," the assertion reads.

Individually, Frederiksen wrote on Fb: "We wish to cooperate and we aren't those searching for battle. And I'm completely satisfied for the constant messages from the remainder of the continent: Europe won't be blackmailed."

"It's all the extra necessary that we stand agency on the elemental values that created the European neighborhood."

In the meantime, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer mentioned he had had cellphone calls on Sunday with Frederiksen, in addition to European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte, earlier than chatting with Trump.

A spokeswoman for Starmer's workplace mentioned he had reiterated his place that Greenland's safety was a precedence for all Nato members. "He additionally mentioned that making use of tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective safety of Nato allies is incorrect," the spokeswoman added.

Trump has threatened to impose a ten% tariff on items from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, which might come into power on 1 February, however might later rise to 25% - and would final till a deal was reached.

"These International locations, who're enjoying this very harmful recreation, have put a stage of danger in play that isn't tenable or sustainable," he wrote, including: "This can be a very harmful state of affairs for the Security, Safety and Survival of our Planet".

The US president insists Greenland is important for US safety and has mentioned beforehand that Washington would get the territory "the straightforward method" or "the laborious method".

Greenland is a sparsely populated however resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it properly positioned for early warning programs within the occasion of missile assaults and for monitoring vessels within the area.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday advised NBC Information' Meet the Press that "Greenland can solely be defended whether it is a part of the US, and it'll not have to be defended whether it is a part of the US".

"I consider that the Europeans will perceive that that is finest for Greenland, finest for Europe and finest for the US," he mentioned.

It's nonetheless unclear how the tariffs will have an effect on these Trump has already imposed on the UK and EU. French President Emmanuel Macron, who's working to co-ordinate the European response to the tariff threats, mentioned he would request that the EU activate its "anti-coercion instrument" if Trump does impose them.

The US president is because of communicate on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday on the theme "how can we co-operate in a extra contested world?" Macron, in addition to the leaders of Germany and the EU, may also be attending the annual convention.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who may also be there, mentioned his nation was "involved by the current escalation" and that it could be "considerably growing Arctic safety — strengthening our army and investing in important infrastructure".

"Canada strongly believes that the easiest way to safe the Arctic is by working collectively inside Nato," he additionally wrote on X.

Mark Rutte, in the meantime, mentioned he had spoken to Trump "concerning the safety state of affairs in Greenland and the Arctic".

"We are going to proceed engaged on this, and I sit up for seeing him in Davos later this week," he added.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/04d4/live/b100f2b0-f491-11f0-a665-27642cc33205.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="EPA/Shutterstock People take part in a protest under the slogans 'Hands off Greenland' and 'Greenland for Greenlanders' in Copenhagen, Denmark, 17 January 2026." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> EPA/Shutterstock Protests have been held over the weekend in each Denmark and Greenland

Public anger in each Denmark and Greenland at Trump's threats over Greenland seems undiminished. Demonstrations in opposition to Trump's takeover plans have been held in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, on Saturday - earlier than the tariff announcement - in addition to in Danish cities.

These rallies coincide with a go to to Copenhagen by a delegation from the US Congress. Its chief, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, described Mr Trump's rhetoric as "not constructive".

The island's consultant to the US has mentioned that the final time Greenlanders have been requested in the event that they needed to be a part of the US, in January 2025, solely 6% have been in favour of doing so, whereas 85% have been in opposition to.

A current ballot suggests that the majority Individuals additionally oppose US management of Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos ballot, which was launched final Wednesday, indicated simply 17% of Individuals assist the US taking Greenland, in comparison with 47% who mentioned they opposed Trump's push to accumulate the island.