European leaders voiced growing alarm on Sunday over U.S. threats to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies, warning the move could destabilize transatlantic relations and heighten tensions in the Arctic.
EU ambassadors met in emergency session in Brussels on Sunday to assess possible responses, including the use of the bloc’s never-before-used Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could restrict U.S. access to public tenders or limit American service exports to the EU.
EU officials said after the meeting that no immediate decision had been taken on countermeasures, but all options remain on the table, while Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK warned of a ‘dangerous downward spiral’ if Trump pursues his ambition to take control of Greenland.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also held a call with Trump on Sunday, reiterating that NATO security in the High North is a priority and that tariffs on allies are wrong. Starmer additionally spoke with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that a 10% tariff would be imposed from February 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain. The rate would rise to 25% from June 1 unless the United States is allowed to buy Greenland.
The threat has intensified diplomatic and security tensions within NATO.
A source close to French President Emmanuel Macron said he is pushing to coordinate a unified European reaction and supports activating the Anti-Coercion Instrument. However, several EU diplomats cautioned against escalating the situation too quickly.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the tariff threat as “a mistake” after speaking directly with Trump. She said she would consult other European leaders later on Sunday. Italy has not deployed troops to Greenland.
Britain’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said allies should seek dialogue rather than confrontation.
“Our position on Greenland is non-negotiable… It is in our collective interest to work together,” she told Sky News.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa warned that the tariffs risk a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic relations, stressing that Europe would remain united in defending its sovereignty.
Greenland’s government thanked European leaders for their support, with cabinet minister Naaja Nathanielsen saying the moment required “great courage.”
At Denmark’s request, France, Germany, Britain and other allies have deployed small military teams to Greenland following Trump’s tariff announcement. Trump has argued Greenland is vital to U.S. security due to its strategic location and mineral resources, and has not ruled out the use of force — comments that have alarmed European governments.
Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is covered by NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he would visit Oslo, London and Stockholm to strengthen coordination in the Arctic.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Europe would not allow itself to be blackmailed, while Finland’s President Alexander Stubb called for dialogue over pressure. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said NATO allies broadly agree on strengthening Arctic security.
Thousands of protesters demonstrated in Denmark and Greenland over the weekend, calling for the island to determine its own future.
Analysts warn Trump’s tariff threat could undermine recent trade understandings between the U.S., the EU and Britain, which had set baseline tariffs of 15% on EU goods and 10% on most British imports.
Trump has increasingly used tariffs as a political pressure tool, recently also threatening penalties on countries trading with Iran.
The United States maintains around 200 troops at Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base under a 1951 defence agreement.
Leaders in both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale.
Some economists urged restraint. ING Research’s Carsten Brzeski said Europe should avoid reacting hastily.
“Just ignore it and wait and see,” he said. “The tariffs are already a step forward compared with the threatened military invasion.”
EU officials said after Sunday’s emergency meeting that no immediate decision on countermeasures had been taken, but stressed that all options remain on the table.
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct...
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the cou...
A child was killed and five other people injured in Russian air strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials ...
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
A child was killed and five other people injured in Russian air strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials have said.
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct the red planet's ancient water history and introduce a Chinese framework for Martian geological time that Beijing hopes will become a new global standard.
Norway’s parliament on Wednesday began public hearings into ties between late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Norwegian diplomats and politicians, as authorities face questions over the impact of those relationships on the country’s foreign service.
New York prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University fraternity members sexually assaulted a student in 2024. The case is set to be presented to a grand jury following renewed scrutiny.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that Brexit has done more harm than good, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and NATO as he used his first Labour conference speech as leader to set out a new direction for Britain.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment