Trump's tariff threat risks 'dangerous downward spiral', NATO members warn ahead of emergency talks
The European nations say they will "continue to stand united and coordinated in our response" and are committed "to upholding our sovereignty"
Trump's tariff threat risks "dangerous downward spiral", says NATO members, after the President announced a wave of tariffs on European countries that would remain in place until he had acquired Greenland.
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Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK made a joint statement today.
The group say they will "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".
Read more: How European leaders have responded to Trump's tariff threat over Greenland
Statement by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom
— Ulf Kristersson (@SwedishPM) January 18, 2026
As members of NATO, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise ”Arctic Endurance” conducted with…
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% tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25% 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."