Trump tariffs threaten EU-US relations: European Leaders

European leaders vowed to stay united as President Trump threatened to impose fresh tariffs until Denmark agrees to sell Greenland in an unprecedented escalation. From Ursula von der Leyen to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, EU leaders vowed to stay "united, coordinated and committed" to upholding Europe's sovereignty after the Trump administration said additional tariffs of 10% would apply on eight European countries starting February 1. EU Council president António Costa said he would coordinate leaders in their response.
"Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa said in a joint statement. 
‍France's President ​Emmanuel Macron said on ⁠Saturday that the threat of tariffs over ‍Greenland was "unacceptable".
"No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor ‍anywhere else in the ​world when we are confronted with such situations," Macron said ‌on X. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was "completely wrong" to apply tariffs on allies for pursuing collective security within NATO, adding that Britain would raise the issue directly with the U.S. administration and reiterating that Greenland's future should be decided by Greenlanders and Danes.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson rejected Trump's threat of swingeing tariffs. "We won't let ourselves be intimidated," he said in a message. "Only Denmark and Greenland decide questions that concern them. "I will always defend my country and our allied neighbours," he added, stressing that this was "a European question".
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he was surprised by the tariff threat and noted Denmark was in close contact with the European Commission, according to Ritzau.  The German government said it was coordinating closely with European partners and that an appropriate response would be decided jointly in due course.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store called the threats "unacceptable" in comments to national news agency NTB, saying threats have no place among allies and reiterating Norway's support for the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. 
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said issues among allies are best resolved through discussion, not pressure, warning that tariffs could harm transatlantic relations and trigger a dangerous downward spiral.
European countries have rallied to Denmark's support. They have argued that the security of the Arctic region should be a joint Nato responsibility. France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK have dispatched a small number of troops to Greenland in a so-called reconnaissance mission. 
Trump's threatened purchase of Greenland is roundly rejected by the local population, 85 percent of whom – according to the latest poll published in January 2025 – oppose the territory joining the United States. Only six percent were in favour.Greenland is a semi-autononomous territory belonging to Denmark.