Europe’s 'appeasement' technique with Trump has failed. So what comes subsequent?

[ad_1] Wanting usually earnest, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stepped as much as the rostrum on Monday morning and made a compelling case for respectful, deliberate diplomatic engagement with Donald Trump over the Greenland disaster, warning the U.Ok. has an excessive amount of at stake economically and militarily to be pushed by emotion.

"The precise technique to strategy a dialogue of a difficulty this severe is calm dialogue between allies," he stated.

Even Starmer's adversaries in Britain's right-wing populist events needed to agree his cool-headed response — which concerned praising the U.S.'s historic management function whereas taking difficulty with the president's coercion — was the best technique to go.

Then, inside hours, all of it blew up in Starmer's face.

In a social media submit in a single day on Tuesday, Trump known as Starmer's unrelated choice to relinquish Diego Garcia, a U.Ok.-controlled island within the Indian Ocean that is a part of the Chagos Islands, "an act of nice stupidity."

"Shockingly, our ‘sensible' NATO ally, the UK, is presently planning to present away the island of Diego Garcia, the location of an important US army base to Mauritius, and to take action FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump wrote.

<img loading="lazy" alt="An undated file photo shows Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago and site of a major United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean leased from Britain in 1966. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/76493bda-0168-4351-b4a5-d9f8d1d08391,1768936918100/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2048%2C1472%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/76493bda-0168-4351-b4a5-d9f8d1d08391,1768936918100/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2048%2C1472%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/76493bda-0168-4351-b4a5-d9f8d1d08391,1768936918100/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2048%2C1472%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/76493bda-0168-4351-b4a5-d9f8d1d08391,1768936918100/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2048%2C1472%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.391304347826087" data-cy="image-img"/> This undated picture reveals Diego Garcia, the most important island within the Chagos archipelago and the location of a significant U.S. army base in the course of the Indian Ocean that was leased from Britain in 1966. (U.S. Navy/Reuters) Trump appeared to counsel the U.S. cannot belief weak allies in relation to defending its safety pursuits, implicitly linking the Chagos Islands choice to his urgent want to accumulate Greenland.

By no means thoughts that only a few months in the past, Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio known as the British authorities's return of Diego Garcia to Mauritius — in trade for a long-term lease for the army base there — "a monumental achievement."

Additionally by no means thoughts that Trump's personal individuals had been concerned in negotiating that deal.

'Develop a backbone' Trump's need to make Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, a part of the US has grown into an obsession that threatens the NATO alliance and your complete postwar order.

WATCH | Why Trump needs Greenland: Why Trump needs Greenland

The Trump administration has made it clear it needs to take management of Greenland and it isn’t ruling out utilizing army drive. For The Nationwide, CBC’s Eli Glasner breaks down why the U.S. has labelled annexing the sparsely-populated island a ‘nationwide safety precedence.’ But even supposing Prime Minister Starmer rolled out a number of crimson carpets for Trump on a latest state go to to Britain hosted by King Charles and has resorted to all types of diplomatic niceties to attempt to obtain beneficial commerce outcomes for the U.Ok., the U.S. president confirmed no restraint in intentionally humiliating Starmer when it suited him.

"It is time for the federal government to face as much as Trump; appeasing a bully by no means works," Liberal Democrat Chief Ed Davey posted on social media Tuesday.

<img loading="lazy" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Britain's King Charles speaks during the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump's second state visit to the UK, Wednesday September 17, 2" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/120d5c1f-1117-4355-8ed8-c287d408a035,1768956009737/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4096%2C2728%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/120d5c1f-1117-4355-8ed8-c287d408a035,1768956009737/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4096%2C2728%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/120d5c1f-1117-4355-8ed8-c287d408a035,1768956009737/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4096%2C2728%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/120d5c1f-1117-4355-8ed8-c287d408a035,1768956009737/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4096%2C2728%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.501466275659824" data-cy="image-img"/> U.S. President Donald Trump listens to King Charles communicate throughout a state banquet at Windsor Fort, Berkshire, on Day 1 of the president's state go to to the U.Ok. on Sept. 17, 2025. (Aaron Chown/Reuters) Gavin Newsom, the governor of California who aspires to be the subsequent Democratic presidential nominee, went even additional on Tuesday whereas attending the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland. He urged European leaders to "develop a spine," suggesting Europe obtained what it deserved by making an attempt to play good with a president who's inherently unreasonable.

"I am unable to take this complicity," stated Newsom. "Get off your knees and develop a backbone."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has many years of expertise coping with Russian President Vladimir Putin, equally threw down the gauntlet to his European colleagues.

"Appeasement is all the time an indication of weak spot. Europe can't afford to be weak — neither towards its enemies nor ally."

<img loading="lazy" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20, 2026. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0bc393f1-6ddf-4317-9f0f-34006890d7bf,1768941437123/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5900%2C3933%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0bc393f1-6ddf-4317-9f0f-34006890d7bf,1768941437123/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5900%2C3933%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0bc393f1-6ddf-4317-9f0f-34006890d7bf,1768941437123/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5900%2C3933%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0bc393f1-6ddf-4317-9f0f-34006890d7bf,1768941437123/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5900%2C3933%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5001271294177472" data-cy="image-img"/> California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the media on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters) Failing technique Ian Lesser, with the German Marshall Fund think-tank in Berlin, stated it is truthful to say Europe's efforts to deal with Trump are failing.

"It is a second of giant pressure and a check for the transatlantic relationship," stated Lesser. "[Trump] appears to be laser-focused on this need to accumulate Greenland and nothing's going to get in the way in which of it."

WATCH | European troops arrive in Greenland: European troops arrive in Greenland as Trump stands agency

As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to discuss eager to take over Greenland — even probably with drive — Denmark and a few of its European allies have deployed a small variety of troops to the semi-autonomous island. The transfer comes after a high-stakes diplomatic assembly in Washington between high Danish and Greenlandic diplomats and Trump’s emissaries.

Starmer's efforts to keep up dialogue whereas avoiding escalation with Trump echoes the strategy of most different European leaders.

However Trump's response demonstrates the authoritarian-leaning president is completely prepared to throw his allies underneath the bus, even once they exit of their technique to ingratiate themselves to him, says Lesser.

"The president is absolutely on the market setting these insurance policies and finishing up this dialogue alone by himself," stated Lesser. "And that makes it very, very tough to cope with him over these items."

Moreover slagging Britain's Starmer, in a single day on Tuesday, Trump additionally posted non-public textual content messages despatched by French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO head Mark Rutte, the place they spoke about wanting to fulfill to dial down the temperature on the difficulty of Greenland.

Trump's choice to make their private messages public on Reality Social might hinder the power of different leaders to conduct disaster diplomacy — and maybe suggests Trump has little curiosity of their perspective.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Donald Trump's threats to ramp up tariffs until a deal is reached for the U.S. to buy Greenland. Picture date: Monday January 19, 2026. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1cbadffd-f8ac-4e8c-b6e4-df2a40b97dde,1768942793133/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6000%2C4000%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1cbadffd-f8ac-4e8c-b6e4-df2a40b97dde,1768942793133/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6000%2C4000%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1cbadffd-f8ac-4e8c-b6e4-df2a40b97dde,1768942793133/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6000%2C4000%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1cbadffd-f8ac-4e8c-b6e4-df2a40b97dde,1768942793133/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C6000%2C4000%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media within the briefing room of 9 Downing Road in London after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to ramp up tariffs till a deal is reached for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. (Jordan Pettitt/Reuters) British commentators have lengthy questioned whether or not Starmer's "appeasement" risked making the U.Ok. look weak. But within the aftermath of Trump's outburst over the Chagos Islands, there was additionally acknowledgment of the tightrope most leaders are strolling.

"There is not any assured path to Donald Trump's good books," journalist Jenni Russel stated on a Instances Radio podcast. "We're dealing with somebody who's a cross between a snarling animal … and a mafia gang boss. After which however, somebody who is extremely vulnerable to flattery."

Dangerous response Britain and the remainder of Europe have the means to push again towards Trump. However each possibility comes with threat.

Trump famously berated Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace final yr, telling him — wrongly — that he did not have any "playing cards" to play within the battle with Russia.

However in an evaluation printed this week known as "Arctic Maintain 'Em," the European Council on Overseas Relations (ECFR) suggests 10 "playing cards" that give European international locations leverage towards Trump. They embrace constructing a coalition of European international locations towards a U.S. takeover of Greenland and making certain Greenland and Denmark — which have continuously disagreed on the island's future — now communicate with a single voice.

The ECFR additionally stated it's important for Europeans to have interaction with "factions inside the [U.S.] administration, together with army officers, that favour restraint in Greenland," noting there's robust opposition past the White Home to Trump's Greenland coercion.

The think-tank's poker-themed critique went on to counsel that Europe ought to pre-emptively announce financial sanctions on any U.S. firm "exploiting Greenlandic assets underneath U.S. annexation."

The ECFR says that as Trump seems to need to transfer rapidly on Greenland, something Europe can do to sluggish the method down works to its benefit.

Jacob Funk Kirkegaard with the Brussels-based think-tank Bruegel agrees.

"Denmark and Europe need to run the clock down, hopefully till the tip of Republican main season [about mid-2026], the place the hope is that will loosen his sway over Republicans in Congress," Kirkegaard stated.

<img loading="lazy" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20, 2026. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/f8090933-eacd-4cb0-8908-d11be3552e6f,1768942378594/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5252%2C3501%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/f8090933-eacd-4cb0-8908-d11be3552e6f,1768942378594/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5252%2C3501%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/f8090933-eacd-4cb0-8908-d11be3552e6f,1768942378594/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5252%2C3501%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/f8090933-eacd-4cb0-8908-d11be3552e6f,1768942378594/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5252%2C3501%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5001428163381891" data-cy="image-img"/> U.S. President Donald Trump is seen outdoors the White Home on Tuesday. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters) Kirkegaard says he believes Europeans should metal themselves that financial ache is probably going unavoidable over Greenland.

"I believe the EU will now have to acknowledge how excessive the stakes are — that this isn't simply one other transatlantic commerce battle, that is really the European Union preventing a commerce battle to discourage Donald Trump from really launching an actual [war]," he stated.

Trump has stated eight NATO members — together with the U.Ok., which despatched small contingents of troopers to Greenland in a present of assist for Denmark — will face tariffs of 10 per cent beginning Feb. 1, rising to greater than 25 per cent in June, and staying in place till Trump will get management of the island.

On Tuesday, Europe's Parliament took preliminary steps in retaliation by freezing the ratification of the U.S.-Europe commerce deal, and has raised the potential of retaliation with new tariffs if Trump introduces his.

The EU might additionally put restrictions on U.S. firms that do enterprise in Europe, an excessive measure that has not been tried earlier than.

Talking on the World Financial Discussion board on Tuesday, Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever addressed the necessity to cease placating Trump, making a number of the day's strongest feedback.

"We had been lenient, hoping to get [Trump's] assist for the Ukraine battle," stated De Wever.

"In the event you again down now, you are going to lose your dignity," he continued. "Being a contented vassal is one factor. Being a depressing slave is one thing else."