EU calls Trump’s tariff menace over Greenland a mistake, urges European independence as Davos begins

European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen referred to as President Trump’s menace to hit eight of America’s NATO allies with tariffs over their stance on Greenland a “mistake” on Tuesday. Talking on the opening of the Davos financial convention in Switzerland, Von der Leyen stated Mr. Trump’s menace risked plunging Europe’s relations with the U.S. right into a “downward spiral.”

“In the case of the safety of the Arctic area, Europe is totally dedicated and we share the targets of the US,” von der Leyen stated, highlighting for instance a transfer by Finland, NATO’s latest member, to promote ice breakers to the U.S.

“It reveals that our northern NATO members have Arctic-ready forces proper now. And above all, that Arctic safety can solely be achieved collectively. And that is why the proposed further tariffs are a mistake, particularly between long-standing allies. The European Union and the US have agreed to a commerce deal final July, and in politics, and in enterprise, a deal is a deal, and when buddies shake arms, it should imply one thing,” von der Leyen stated.

Greenland has been a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark for greater than 70 years, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen instructed the nation’s parliament on Tuesday that, “the worst should be forward of us” relating to the standoff with the Trump administration.

“We are actually being threatened by our closest ally,” she stated, in response to The Related Press.

Each Frederiksen’s and Von der Leyen’s remarks got here after President Trump threatened to impose a blanket 10% tariff on imports from eight NATO allies, together with Denmark, in the event that they proceed rejecting his bid to accumulate Greenland. Mr. Trump has stated these tariffs may rise to 25% by June if the nations proceed resisting.

Von der Leyen stated the EU’s 27 member nations, “take into account the folks of the US not simply our allies, however our buddies, and plunging us right into a downward spiral would solely help the very adversaries we’re each so dedicated to retaining out of the strategic panorama. So our response will likely be unflinching, united and proportional.”

She stated the EU was engaged on a bundle of measures to additional assist Arctic safety, the primary precept of which is “full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.”

“The sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non-negotiable,” Von der Leyen stated, including that the EU would work with Greenland and Denmark to take a look at the way it may assist infrastructure there, in addition to “work with the US and all companions on wider Arctic safety. That is clearly in our shared curiosity, and we’ll step up funding.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who shouldn’t be attending the Davos convention, stated his authorities had met with NATO members and different allies, and that Western nations must be united by “respect for nationwide, territorial integrity (and) respect for worldwide regulation,” in response to The Related Press.