British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised US President Donald Trump in a phone call over threats to impose tariffs on Nato allies as leverage over Greenland, warning that such moves are wrong and risk destabilising transatlantic relations.
The intervention came amid urgent diplomatic exchanges between European capitals, NATO leadership and Washington, as Trump said he would impose 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland starting February 1, 2026.
The US President warned that the tariff would rise to 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if no agreement is reached on Greenland. He insists Greenland is critical for US security and has not ruled out taking it by force.
Starmer spoke to Trump on Sunday, alongside separate calls with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
"In all his calls, the prime minister reiterated his position on Greenland. He said that security in the high north is a priority for all NATO allies in order to protect Euro-Atlantic interests," a Downing Street summary said. "He also said that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is wrong."
The blunt stance places Starmer on a potential collision course with Trump, who has threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries, including the UK, if negotiations over Greenland do not move in Washington’s favour.
The targeted countries issued a joint statement on Sunday warning that the US president’s threats "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral". The group said it stood "in full solidarity" with Denmark and Greenland and remained committed to dialogue grounded in sovereignty and territorial integrity.
European Union ambassadors also reached broad agreement on intensifying diplomatic efforts to dissuade Trump from following through on the tariffs, while quietly preparing retaliatory options should talks fail. EU leaders are expected to debate next steps at an emergency summit in Brussels later this week.
One proposal under discussion is a package of tariffs on €93 billion of US imports that could be reactivated after a suspension period. Another, more controversial option is the EU’s never-used "Anti-Coercion Instrument", which would allow Brussels to restrict US access to public tenders, investment opportunities or parts of the services market.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe would not bow to pressure, as she and other European leaders continued to consider their response to US tariff threats.
Across the EU, leaders struck a similarly defiant tone. Frederiksen said Europe "will not be blackmailed", while French President Emmanuel Macron has privately backed tougher countermeasures. Irish Prime Minister Michel Martin cautioned that while retaliation was inevitable if tariffs were imposed, it might be premature to deploy the EU’s strongest tools.
Along with others, the European Union defended the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.
In a post on X, von der Leyen said she had held discussions on the Greenland issue with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Meanwhile, senior figures in the Trump administration also defend a tougher US stance on Greenland. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington’s push to assert control over the Arctic territory was driven by Europe’s strategic weakness.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Bessent said that Greenland had become central to a broader geopolitical contest involving Russia and China, and said US leadership was necessary to maintain global stability.
"We are the strongest country in the world," he said. "Europeans project weakness. The US projects strength."
Source: ANI