European countries react to Trump’s tariff threat to annex Greenland

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, as a way of continuing his imperialist project, threatened, last Saturday (17), to increase trade tariffs on European countries to pressure them into accepting his country’s annexation of Greenland.

The territory, with around 50 thousand inhabitants, belongs to Denmark and is a target of interest for Trump, who aims to take it by force to explore its mineral and energy potential. He also tries to coerce the local population by signaling the purchase of the largest island in the world, located partly in the Arctic. The North American’s indication caused European ambassadors to call an emergency meeting this Sunday (18).

Representatives of the eight attacked countries, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland (members of the European Union), as well as Norway and the United Kingdom, debated Trump’s threat to raise trade tariffs from 10% to 25% in June.

Read more: White House meeting fails to advance in light of US demand for Greenland

On social network X, French President Emmanuel Macron had already expressed his support for a united response and against any intimidation.

“Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated way if [aumento de tarifas] be confirmed. We will know how to ensure that European sovereignty is respected”, wrote the French president on the social network X.

“No intimidation or threat can influence us, not in Ukraine, not in Greenland, or anywhere in the world”, added Macron.

These countries, together with Slovenia, sent military personnel to Greenland as part of a mission by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an entity that is in crisis since the USA and Denmark are part of the group and “an attack on one member is an attack on all”.

From Asunción, Paraguay, where he was at the signing of the Mercosur-European Union agreement, the president of the European Council, António Costa, reinforced that the bloc will be firm in defending international law, removing any interference from the USA.

Read more: Mercosur-EU agreement is signed after 25 years of negotiations

After the meeting this Sunday, the eight threatened countries released a joint note reaffirming the defense of their sovereignty and the Arctic.

“We will continue to be united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to defending our sovereignty”, says the statement.

“Based on the process started last week, we are ready to dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we firmly support”, indicate the countries threatened by Trump, who understand that North American blackmail harms transatlantic relations.