U.S. President Donald Trump has linked his push to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as tensions with Europe escalate and the European Union considers retaliatory measures that could reignite a transatlantic trade war.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump declined to say whether he would use force to seize Greenland but repeated his threat to impose tariffs on European countries if a deal is not reached. The remarks come as the EU weighs countermeasures in response to Washington’s pressure on Denmark, a fellow NATO member.
Trump intensified his rhetoric in a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, released by Norway’s government on Monday, saying that after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize he no longer felt obliged to think “purely of peace”.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, not Trump - a decision that has publicly irritated the U.S. president.
Trump has accused Denmark of being unable to protect Greenland from Russia or China, questioning Copenhagen’s sovereignty over the Arctic island and saying global security required “complete and total control” of the territory by the United States.
On Saturday, Trump said he would impose escalating tariffs from 1 February on Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, as well as Britain and Norway, until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland.
Denmark rejected the threat, with Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen saying countries cannot be traded like commodities. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory must decide its own future and would not bow to pressure.
The dispute has unsettled European markets and industry, reviving fears of a repeat of 2025’s trade war. EU leaders are set to discuss their response at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday, including potential tariffs on €93 billion worth of U.S. imports or use of the bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument.
Several European leaders said they would seek talks with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, though Germany and Norway warned they were prepared to respond if tariffs were imposed. Britain called for calm dialogue between allies.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned Europe against retaliation, saying Trump’s interest in Greenland was driven by strategic considerations rather than resentment over the Nobel Prize.
Azerbaijan is prepared to chair the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2028, the country's President Ilham Aliyev has said. He made th...
U.S. federal immigration agents shot and wounded a man in a car with a five-year-old boy inside in New York City’s Bronx neighbourhood on Thu...
Several powerful explosions reported in the south of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday may have been triggered by oil tankers hitting naval mines, I...
Russia struck Ukraine overnight in one of the biggest attacks of the conflict, killing at least 19 people, Kyiv's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Around 70 missiles were fired at Ukraine during the attack, as well as drones, the Ministry said.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
Azerbaijan is prepared to chair the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2028, the country's President Ilham Aliyev has said. He made the remarks as regional leaders met at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
U.S. federal immigration agents shot and wounded a man in a car with a five-year-old boy inside in New York City’s Bronx neighbourhood on Thursday, city officials, police and witnesses say.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sharply criticised the United States following a series of Russian attacks that killed more than 70 people over two days, arguing that Washington is not doing enough to help Kyiv counter Moscow's continued assault.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
The United States has unveiled a new round of sanctions targeting Iran's energy exports, taking aim at vessels, companies and individuals accused of helping move Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and petrochemicals to overseas markets.
The Trump administration has launched a major expansion of its immigration enforcement agenda, restricting access to a key employment-based green card process for several of the world's largest technology and outsourcing companies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment