Starmer to address the nation after telling Trump European tariff threats is 'wrong' - as Europe strikes back with €93bn threat

The Prime Minister spoke to the US president on Sunday after he announced a wave of tariffs on eight European countries, which would remain in place until he had acquired Greenland.

During their conversation, the PM "reiterated his position on Greenland" to Trump, before telling him that "security in the High North is a priority for all NATO allies in order to protect Euro-Atlantic interests", No.10 said.

It comes as Trump released a statement on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, insisting NATO has warned Denmark of the dangers posed by Russia for the past two decades.

"NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that “you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,” he insisted in the post.

"Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!! President Donald J. Trump."

Read more: How European leaders have responded to Trump's tariff threat over Greenland

Read more: Starmer slams Trump's Greenland tariff threat as 'completely wrong' - as EU gathers for emergency talks

Sir Keir also held calls with Denmark's prime minister, as well as the leaders of the European Commission and NATO, whose members earlier today said Trump's trade war threats risked a "dangerous downward spiral".

In a joint statement, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK said they would "continue to stand united and coordinated in our response" and are committed "to upholding our sovereignty".

The statement said: "We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.

"Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind."

The statement adds that a recent pre-coordinated Danish exercise conducted in Greenland "poses no threat to anyone".

After the joint statement Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued further comments.

"The Kingdom of Denmark is receiving great support," she said.

"I am pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed.

"At the same time, it is now even clearer that this is an issue that reaches far beyond our own borders."

The US president said the UK will be charged a 10 per cent tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25 per cent from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark.

He said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland and that they had “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”.

Mr Trump said the US was “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades”.

He said it was “time for Denmark to give back”, adding: “China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has criticised President Trump's threats as "wrong" and "counterproductive", saying "tariffs would be a terrible thing, not just for the UK Economy, but for the US Economy as well".

However, she insisted "it's not in the interests of any of us to ramp up a war of words with people who are amongst our closest allies".

Ms Nandy told LBC's Lewis Goodall on Sunday: "On this issue in particular, we have been crystal clear that we disagree with the United States. That is a position that is not going to change. They are aware of that."