EU response to Trump’s tariffs will be ‘unflinching’, says Ursula von der Leyen
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The European Union’s response to Trump’s tariffs over Greenland would be “unflinching”, Ursula von der Leyen said as the American president doubled down on his desire to acquire the sprawling island from Denmark.
If Donald Trump goes ahead with the 10% tariffs against eight European countries to force a sale of Greenland, the European Union will hit back with an “unflinching, united and proportional” response, Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday morning as she extended her hand to the American president to deepen cooperation in the Arctic region.
“Arctic security can only be achieved together. This is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies,” the president of the European Commission said during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The EU and US have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business – a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something,” she added, referring to the agreement that she and Trump signed last year. “Plunging us into a dangerous downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of our strategic landscape.”
Her comments come as Trump doubled down on his bid to acquire Greenland, posting a digitally-generated picture of him putting a US flag in Greenland as Europeans struggle to agree on which potential measures to use in retaliation. He also said he has agreed to a meeting in Davos on Greeland with “the various parties” involved.
European leaders have meanwhile agreed to convene in Brussels on Thursday evening for an extraordinary summit where they will hope to nail down a common position on the way to proceed should Trump follow through on his threat.
Statements from the bloc’s leaders and ministers on Monday showed capitals are divided on whether to trigger the EU’s trade bazooka, known officially as the Anti-Coercion Instrument, in retaliation.
During her Davos speech, Ursula von der Leyen outlined four key principles to guide the European Union’s approach to Greenland and the Arctic region:
Full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. “The sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non-negotiable,” she said.
A “massive” surge in investment in Greenland to support “the local economy and infrastructure” on the island.
Cooperation with the US and Western allies to strengthen Arctic security, building on the defence initiatives that the EU has rolled out in recent years.
Closer cooperation with regional partners, such as the UK, Norway and Iceland, to reinforce security partnerships. She also added Canada, which is on the other side of the Atlantic, to the list of regional partners.
She then notes that the European Commission’s upcoming “security strategy” will include an upgrade to the Arctic strategy, with a focus on Greenland. “At the heart of this will be the fundamental principle: It is for sovereign people to decide their own future,” she says.
