Panicking EU leaders to hold emergency Greenland summit after Trump’s trade war threat: Live updates

The full message the Norwegian Prime Minister sent to Donald Trump which sparked the President’s outburst about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize has been revealed.

On Sunday, following Trump’s announcement that he would ​impose new ‍tariffs ​on EU countries if they stood in his way to take over Greenland, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wrote a letter to the US President.

A day before, Trump had announced that a 10 per cent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25 per cent.

‘Dear Mr president, dear Donald – on the contact across the Atlantic – on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine – and your tariff announcement yesterday,’ the letter said.

‘You know our position on these issues. But we believe we should all work to take this down and de-escalate – so much is happening around us where we need to stand together.

‘We are proposing a call with you later today – with both of us or separately – give us a hint of what you prefer! Best – Alex and Jonas,’ the message concluded.

‘Alex’ is short for Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland.

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Danish officials are set to skip the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as disputes over US President Donald Trump‘s bid to seize Greenland have intensified.

Corporate chiefs and government leaders are gathering for the conference, which will see Trump dominate proceedings with talks on Greenland, Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The US leader has been insistent on seizing Greenland and has not ruled out taking it by force.

Trump has also warned the US may pull out of NATO if America’s allies don’t agree to the acquisition of Greenland.

In a statement to Bloomberg, the forum said: ‘We can confirm that the Danish government will not be represented in Davos this week.’

‘Danish government representatives were invited this year, and any decisions on attendance are a matter for the government concerned,’ it added.

Flags flutter during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, in Davos, Switzerland, January 19, 2026

Greenland’s Prime Minister said on Monday: ‘We will not be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, respect, and international law.’

Writing in a Facebook post, the leader added that Trump’s tariffs do not change the territory’s priorities, adding: ‘We are determined to move forward with honest dialogue, mutual respect and respect for international human rights.’

Pictured: Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen takes part in a demonstration that gathered almost a third of the city population to protest against the US President’s plans to take Greenland, on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland

A large number of Danish soldiers are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, Danish news outlet TV2 reports.

Previously, the head of the Arctic Command, Soren Andersen, said that approximately 100 Danish soldiers had already arrived in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, where they will begin ‘Arctic Endurance’ training amid Trump’s latest comments on Greenland.

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Danish armed forces during a practice drill in September 2025

EU ‌leaders will convene in Brussels on Thursday ​for an ​emergency summit ​following Trump’s threats to ​impose new ‍tariffs ​on several EU countries over his demand ‍to ‍acquire Greenland, a European Union spokesperson said ⁠on Monday.

The summit is ⁠planned to start at 6.00pm UK time.

Europe is preparing countermeasures against Trump’s ‘blackmail’ after he threatened tariffs against several countries over their oppositions to his designs on Greenland, Germany’s vice chancellor said Monday.

‘We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,’ said Lars Klingbeil, at a press conference in Berlin alongside French Economy Minister Roland Lescure.

‘Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners.’

On Sunday, Keir Starmer joined European allies warning of a ‘dangerous downward spiral’ in Nato after Trump threatened a trade war over Greenland.

A joint statement from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK said they stood ‘firmly behind’ the ‘principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity’.

‘As members of Nato, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise Arctic Endurance conducted with Allies, responds to this necessity. It poses no threat to anyone,’ the statement said.

‘We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland. Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind.

‘Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.’

Without specifying Moscow’s stance on the US taking over Greenland, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump would ‘make history’ if he annexed the territory.

Citing ‘international experts’, Peskov said the highly controversial move would make ‘not only United States history, but world history’.

‘In general, there has been a lot of concerning information coming in in recent days.

‘We of course are very closely observing everything that is happening, analysing the developments.

‘As regards our plans in relation to Denmark and Greenland, I will leave that without comment,’ he said.

Trump believes the island is vulnerable to Russian and Chinese invasion and could permit the US’s enemies to attack its mainland. The US has one military base there, which is home to 200 troops.

Is owning Greenland necessary for US security?

A 1941 agreement with Denmark already authorises US expansion of its existing military facilities on the island. In previous decades the US operated dozens of bases there.

Is there an ulterior motive?

Maybe. Resources, minerals and possibly a pretext to withdraw from Nato.

What is Trump’s philosophy?

He believes in a world divided into areas of influence, with the US dominating the entirety of the Americas, including Greenland. He feels entitled to own Greenland, as only the US can protect the entirety of the vast landmass. In Trump’s mind, it is for the Chinese, the Russians and other Western states to squabble over everywhere else.

Is Nato’s future in jeopardy?

Certainly. Trump thinks Nato is Eurocentric and doubts its members would support the US. A Trump-led US invasion of Greenland would trigger a response from other Nato members in support of Denmark, raising the possibility of conflict within the alliance.

As a deepening crisis threatens the future of Nato, European leaders are considering deploying their so-called trade ‘bazooka’ for the first time in retaliation, an economic tool that would hit the US with £81billion in tariffs.

The ‘big bazooka’ is an anti-coercion instrument adopted in 2023 to combat political blackmail.

It allows the EU to restrict countries from participating in public tenders, limit trade licences and shut off access to the single market.

Lars Klingbeil, Germany’s vice chancellor, called on his allies to ensure the ‘bazooka’ is ready to strike back at Washington if Trump presses ahead with his threats of increased tariffs.

‘There is a legally established European toolbox for responding to economic blackmail with very sensitive measures. And we should now consider using these measures,’ Klingbeil said in Berlin.