European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday pushed back against President Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies over their refusal to support his Greenland proposal, calling the move a serious mistake.
Speaking at the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, von der Leyen warned that such threats could send relations between Europe and the United States into what she described as a dangerous downward spiral.
She stressed that Europe and the U.S. are aligned when it comes to Arctic security and already work closely together. As an example, she pointed to Finland, NATO’s newest member, which is selling icebreakers to the United States.
“Our northern NATO allies already have forces that are ready for Arctic conditions,” she said. “But Arctic security can only be achieved together. That’s why extra tariffs between long-standing allies make no sense.”
Von der Leyen also reminded the audience that the EU and the U.S. reached a trade agreement last July, arguing that agreements should be honored. “In politics and in business, a deal is a deal,” she said. “When friends shake hands, it should mean something.”
Greenland has been a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark for more than seven decades. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told parliament on Tuesday that tensions with the Trump administration could still get worse.
“We are now being threatened by our closest ally,” she said, according to the Associated Press.
The comments from von der Leyen and Frederiksen came after President Trump said he would impose a blanket 10 percent tariff on imports from eight NATO allies, including Denmark, if they continue to reject his bid to acquire Greenland. Trump has warned the tariffs could increase to 25 percent by June if opposition continues.
Von der Leyen said the EU’s 27 member states see Americans not just as allies, but as friends, and warned that escalating tensions would only benefit shared adversaries. She added that the EU’s response would be united, firm, and proportionate.
She also said the EU is preparing new measures to strengthen Arctic security, starting with full solidarity with Greenland and Denmark. “Their sovereignty and territorial integrity are not negotiable,” she said.
According to von der Leyen, the EU plans to support infrastructure development in Greenland and work with Denmark, while also continuing cooperation with the United States and other partners on broader Arctic security efforts. “This is in everyone’s interest, and we are ready to increase investment,” she said.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who did not attend the Davos meeting, said his government has been in talks with NATO members and other allies. He emphasized that Western nations should stay united around respect for national borders, territorial integrity, and international law, the Associated Press reported.
0 Comments