On January 18, the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, France and Sweden issued a joint statement after Donald Trump renewed his push to buy Greenland. They said security in the Arctic remains a shared transatlantic task and that Denmark’s pre-planned Arctic Endurance exercises with allies threaten no one.
The signatories expressed solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland and said they were ready for dialogue only on the basis of sovereignty and territorial integrity. They warned that tariff threats damage transatlantic relations and could trigger a dangerous spiral of escalation.
“We will continue to act in unity and in a coordinated manner in our response. We are committed to defending our sovereignty,” the statement said.
Trump had earlier announced 10 percent tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland from February 1, 2026, and said the rate would rise to 25 percent on June 1. He said the measures would remain in place until an agreement was reached on the “full and final purchase” of Greenland.
At Denmark’s invitation, short-term military groups from seven European countries arrived in Greenland, totaling about 30 to 34 personnel. France and Germany sent the largest contingents, with 15 troops each. The White House said the deployment would not affect Trump’s determination to gain control of the island. Bild later reported that German troops were returning early, but Germany’s Defense Ministry said the January 15-17 visit had always been planned as a short mission.
Paris said Emmanuel Macron would ask the EU to consider using the Anti-Coercion Instrument against the United States if Washington imposes additional duties. Reuters reported that EU leaders will discuss response options at an emergency summit in Brussels on January 22, including a 93 billion euro tariff package on U.S. imports that could take effect on February 6 after a six-month delay.
Political analyst Alexandra Filippenko said Trump is acting in his familiar style of information pressure and tariff threats. In her view, he hopes to force European concessions and expand U.S. military, economic and possibly political room in Greenland, while also invoking a Russian threat with an eye on American public opinion.