The European Union has pushed back sharply against US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs on European allies over his demand that Denmark sell Greenland, with senior EU leaders asserting that the Arctic territory’s sovereignty is non-negotiable and announcing a pause in the ratification of a key EU–US trade deal.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Greenland “is not for sale” and that its sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. Responding to Trump’s announcement of a 10 per cent tariff on several European countries, Metsola said the EU stood united behind Denmark and the people of Greenland, warning that punitive measures against NATO allies would undermine, rather than enhance, Arctic security.
Trump has said tariffs of 10 per cent on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland would come into force from February 1, 2026, rising to 25 per cent from June 1 if no agreement is reached on what he described as the “complete and total purchase of Greenland”. He justified the move on national security grounds, citing Chinese and Russian interest in the territory.
In response, the EU has called for a pause in the ratification of the EU–US trade deal announced in July 2025. Siegfried Murean, Vice-President of the European People’s Party, said recent developments had stripped the agreement of the stability it was meant to provide, making a delay unavoidable.
European leaders have also voiced strong opposition. French President Emmanuel Macron called the tariff threats “unacceptable” and vowed a united European response, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said applying tariffs on allies pursuing collective NATO security was “completely wrong”.
The standoff has heightened tensions within NATO, with several European countries deploying small military contingents to Greenland for exercises and Denmark increasing its own presence. Denmark and Greenland’s leaders have repeatedly rejected any sale, citing the island’s right to self-determination, as protests continue in both territories.
