“Europe will not be blackmailed”: Danish PM on Trump’s Greenland tariff threat
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday responded to US President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on European nations who opposed to the US takeover of Greenland, asserted that “Europe will not be blackmailed.”
Frederiksen said, “The Kingdom of Denmark is receiving great support,” in a separate statement issued after a joint declaration by 8 European nations targeted by Trump’s proposed tariffs, in a separate statement issued after a joint declaration by eight European countries targeted by Trump’s proposed tariffs.
“I am pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed,” she said.
She added “It is now even clearer that this is an issue that reaches far beyond our own borders.”
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen stated that Denmark wants to cooperate and is not seeking a conflict.
Some 8 countries issued a joint statement expressed “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.”
“We stand ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we firmly uphold,” the statement said.
The remarks came a day after Trump announced plans to impose additional tariffs on several NATO allies, including Denmark, France and the United Kingdom, for opposing his bid to take over Greenland.
He said that starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face a 10% tariff on all goods exported to the United States.
Trump added that the tariffs would be raised to 25% from June 1.
He also expressed concern over the deployment of additional troops to Greenland by several European countries, called it a dangerous move.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet,” he said.
“These countries, which are playing this very dangerous game, have introduced a level of risk that is not tenable or sustainable,” he said.
Trump reiterated that the US has been trying to purchase Greenland for 150 years, but Denmark has always refused.
“Now, because of the Golden Dome and modern-day weapons systems, both offensive and defensive, the need to acquire is especially important,” he stressed.
