The transatlantic dispute over Greenland escalated as European nations issued a rare, coordinated response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs, signaling strong support for Denmark and Greenland and warning Washington against coercion.
According to international media reports, eight countries directly targeted by the proposed tariffs, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement declaring “full solidarity” with Denmark and Greenland. The statement warned that the U.S. move risked a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic relations and pledged a “united and coordinated” response to uphold sovereignty.
European Council President Antonio Costa said the European Union (EU) is “ready to defend itself against any form of coercion” in response to Trump’s threats. National leaders also expressed strong opposition. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel called the tariffs “blackmail,” German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said “a line has been crossed,” and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized on social media that “Europe will not be blackmailed.”
French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed that Macron would request a coordinated EU response should the U.S. follow through with its tariff plan. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said after meeting his Norwegian counterpart that he had “no doubt about the support from Europe,” while Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide added, “We will not yield to pressure.”
Other European leaders beyond the directly targeted states joined the chorus of criticism. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the tariff threats “a mistake,” while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the U.S. threat as “completely wrong,” reaffirming that Greenland is part of Denmark and its future is for the Greenlanders and Danes to decide.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee stressed the importance of respecting the principles of the United Nations Charter, and Croatia expressed solidarity with Denmark, warning that additional tariffs could destabilize EU-U.S. trade relations.
At the EU level, lawmakers called for immediate retaliation using the bloc’s “Anti-Coercion Instrument,” described as an “economic nuclear weapon.” The mechanism would allow punitive measures, including tariffs, market bans, financial sanctions, and suspension of U.S. patents and licenses, without going through the UN or WTO. Valerie Hayer, president of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, highlighted that the EU is the U.S.’s largest export market, with over 500 billion dollars in annual trade, and said Trump “should think twice” before proceeding. Financial Times reported that EU capitals are considering tariffs worth 93 billion euros (108 billion U.S. dollars) or reviving the Anti-Coercion Instrument.
The standoff stems from Trump’s repeated calls to “obtain” Greenland. On Saturday, he announced via social media that the U.S. would levy a 10-percent tariff on goods from the eight targeted countries starting February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1, until a deal is reached for the “complete and total purchase” of Greenland.
Europe’s unusually strong and coordinated response indicates a firm willingness to confront Washington over Greenland’s sovereignty, even at the risk of a tit-for-tat economic conflict.