![\"Danish](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768765639_903_\/4250f587-f1d7-4bf2-b7a7-57b465b98d29.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSir Keir Starmer told President Trump that \u201capplying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is wrong\u201d in a telephone call this afternoon, Downing Street has said.<\/p>\n
A No 10 spokeswoman said: \u201cThe prime minister had a number of calls with leaders this afternoon. He spoke to prime minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte. He then spoke to President Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also said that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Military force in Greenland would put US \u2018at war with Nato\u2019<\/p>\n
Michael McCaul, a Republican representative for Texas, has warned that using military force in Greenland would \u201cabolish Nato as we know it\u201d.<\/p>\n
Speaking on ABC, the former chair of the House foreign affairs committee said: \u201cFor [Trump] to militarily invade would turn Article 5 of Nato on its very head. And in essence, it would put us at war with Nato itself. If we want to put more military in there, we can, we don\u2019t have to invade it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Article 5 stipulates that an attack on any member is considered an attack on all.<\/p>\n
Billions in retaliations tariffs on the table<\/p>\n
The European Union is readying \u20ac93 billion in retaliation tariffs on the US, in response to President Trump\u2019s threats to impose punitive duties on any countries opposed to him taking Greenland, according to the Financial Times.<\/p>\n
The EU countries are currently considering their options before the Davos conference which begins tomorrow in Switzerland.<\/p>\n
\u2018Important insights\u2019 from Greenland reconnaissance mission<\/p>\n
The reconnaissance mission that triggered President Trump\u2019s tariff threats has been carried out \u201cas planned,\u201d a German Bundeswehr spokesperson told the BBC.<\/p>\n
Originally scheduled for January 15-17, the mission was extended by a day to co-ordinate with Denmark. Bad weather blocked access to one station, but officials said that valuable intelligence was still gathered.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Danish soldiers at the port in Nuuk, Greenland<\/p>\n
MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN\/AFP<\/p>\n
A spokesperson said: \u201cNevertheless, important insights were gained, which will now be used to co-ordinate possible joint measures with our partners and within the Nato framework to strengthen security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Read in full: Nato plans \u2018Arctic Sentry\u2019 mission to bring Trump on side<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s argument for taking Greenland \u2018flawed\u2019<\/p>\n President Trump is \u201cbullying\u201d Denmark with his Greenland threats, the chairman of the country\u2019s defence committee has said.<\/p>\n Rasmus Jarlov told Sky News that the US was \u201cexaggerating, to the extreme, the threat from Russia and China\u201d and that Trump\u2019s reasoning was \u201cvery flawed\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no big threat from Russia or China,\u201d he said. \u201cIf there was, we would certainly call the Americans, because we\u2019re not interested in Greenland falling into the hands of Russia and China. He said that if America annexed Greenland they would \u201chave to deal with a population that would be very hostile and would never recognise the Americans on their land.\u201d <\/p>\n Watch: Danish foreign minister says Trump\u2019s diplomacy is \u2018unconventional\u2019Trump silent as tensions grow<\/p>\n President Trump has been silent since yesterday\u2019s announcement of tariffs in retaliation against Nato allies after their outspoken support of Greenland\u2019s independence.<\/p>\n He has been holed up at the Trump International Golf Course in Florida and has made no comment to the press pool of reporters that trail him.<\/p>\n Reportedly, his attention is currently consumed by the ongoing standoff between ICE and protesters in Minneapolis<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trump in Davos: tariff bombshell meets \u2018spirit of dialogue\u2019 President Trump addressed last year\u2019s meeting by video<\/p>\n FABRICE COFFRINI\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Days after his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States last year, Donald Trump gave a surprise guest address to delegates at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Dialling in from Washington, the president announced his return to the international stage by lambasting the European Union for its tax regime and regulations. \u201cThe EU treats us very, very unfairly, very badly,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, he will return to the Swiss mountain town in person for the first time since 2020, days after launching a major escalation against Europe and its governments. Over the weekend Trump said that eight European nations, including the UK, would be hit with a fresh 10 per cent tariff on all goods exports for frustrating America\u2019s attempts to annex Greenland. The threat marks a fresh nadir in transatlantic relations after a year in which the US has imposed the highest tariffs on European goods in nearly a century, and where US demands on Greenland now threaten to hollow out the Nato military alliance.<\/p>\n \u201cEurope knows it\u2019s in trouble but there\u2019s not much policy action,\u201d Marieke Blom, chief economist at ING, said.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Tariff bombshell meets \u2018spirit of dialogue\u2019<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Trump \u2018cannot compel other nations to sell land to US\u2019<\/p>\n Mike Turner, the Republican representative for Ohio, told CBS that President Trump didn\u2019t have the authority to use military force to invade Greenland<\/a>.<\/p>\n Turner, who chairs the US delegation to the Nato parliamentary assembly, said that the president\u2019s constant threats of military action had caused tension among allies.<\/p>\n He also questioned the use of tariffs to push through a purchase of the territory, telling CBS\u2019s Face the Nation that even if the Supreme Court allowed Trump under emergency law to impose tariffs, they would be limited.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if he is found to have tariff authority, I don\u2019t believe he has the ability to impose tariffs to compel other nations to sell the United States land for expansion,\u201d Turner added.<\/p>\n Nato chief speaks with Trump<\/p>\n Mark Rutte, the Nato chief<\/a>, said that he had spoken to Present Trump about his plans for Greenland, and added: \u201cWe will continue working on this.\u201d<\/p>\n Rutte said \u201cI look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week\u201d, referring to the World Economic Forum annual gathering in Switzerland.<\/p>\n Seven of the eight Arctic countries are Nato members<\/p>\n Speaking at the same conference, Barth Eide, Norway\u2019s foreign minister, pointed out: \u201cOf the eight countries who happen to be in the Arctic, seven are Nato members.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we\u2019re actually well prepared to deal with existing challenges and future security challenges in the Arctic. The very essence of Nato is to protect the sovereign and territorial integrity of its member states.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018We had the chance to challenge the president\u2019<\/p>\n After meeting the US vice-president JD Vance and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio; Lars L\u00f8kke Rasmussen, Denmark\u2019s foreign minister, told a news conference: \u201cWe are trying to get the president to abandon the idea that he has to own Greenland. I don\u2019t doubt that we have strong and persistent support from the EU on Greenland.\u201d<\/p>\n JONAS BEEN HENRIKSEN\/NTB\/AP<\/p>\n On the topic of security, he said: \u201cWe haven\u2019t had a Chinese warship in Greenland for a decade or so,\u201d and referred to talks on the subject as \u2018productive\u2019.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI am pleased that even though we do not agree \u2026 at least it is productive to start discussions at a high level and then we have to see if we will be successful or not. The meeting took place in a very constructive atmosphere and we had the chance to challenge the president. It was basically about security and even though there is not an instant threat, but there is a concern, will that be a concern in ten years for now? It will not.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump could end up hurting Americans, warns former trade commissioner<\/p>\n Cecilia Malmstr\u00f6m, the former EU trade commissioner, warned that President Trump\u2019s tariff threats over Greenland were pushing the US and Europe towards a trade war, and could end up hurting America most of all.<\/p>\n Speaking to Times Radio, Malmstr\u00f6m said tariffs announced against Denmark, the UK and others would mark a serious escalation. She argued that Trump\u2019s approach has not changed since his first term. \u201cHe\u2019s always loved tariffs,\u201d she said, noting he was praising them as far back as the 1980s.<\/p>\n However, she warned that tariffs were ultimately a tax. \u201cIt is the consumers who suffer,\u201d she said, warning that US households and the wider American economy would bear the cost.<\/p>\n She suggested Europe was running out of patience, dismissing Trump\u2019s Greenland rhetoric bluntly: \u201cWe\u2019re not going to sell Greenland. Greenland<\/a> is not for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n Malmstr\u00f6m said the EU was discussing joint retaliation<\/a>, including counter-tariffs and the use of its \u201canti-coercion\u201d trade powers, while warning that Trump\u2019s unpredictability risks undermining investor confidence in the US itself.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s tariffs are \u2018strategic decision\u2019<\/p>\n Scott Bessent said that European leaders would \u201ccome around\u201d to Trump\u2019s plans for Greenland. He said: \u201cThey will understand that they need to be under the US security umbrella.\u201d<\/p>\n The Treasury secretary also justified the new tariffs against European nations<\/a> as a response to a \u201cnational emergency\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIt is a strategic decision by the president. This is a geopolitical decision and he is able to use the economic might of the US to avoid a hot war. So, why wouldn\u2019t we do that?\u201d<\/p>\n Europeans \u2018project weakness\u2019<\/p>\n Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, said Trump was \u201cbeing strategic\u201d in his bid to acquire Greenland.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cWe are not going to outsource our national security. We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to other countries.\u201d <\/p>\n Bessent said that the fight for the Arctic was \u201creal\u201d and that to avoid the US getting \u201cdragged in\u201d the president was acting now, adding: \u201cBetter now, peace through strength, make it part of the United States and there will not be a conflict because the United States right now, we are the hottest country in the world, we are the strongest country in the world. The Europeans project weakness, the US projects strength.\u201d<\/p>\n Flow of troops in and out of Greenland<\/p>\n Germany has withdrawn its 15 military planners from Greenland, as part of the original plans announced on Wednesday rather than in response to the American tariff threats.<\/p>\n Other Nato allies will continue to send small contingents of troops, including two Belgian officers who are expected to arrive on Monday. Here are the national contributions that have been made public so far:<\/p>\n \u2022 Denmark: unknown, but about 150 military personnel are already deployed on Greenland Greenland\u2019s sovereignty cannot be violated, says Irish leader<\/p>\n The sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark cannot be violated, the Irish premier said.<\/p>\n Miche\u00e1l Martin, the Irish prime minister, who described President Trump\u2019s tariff threats as \u201cunacceptable\u201d, called for further talks to prevent a trade war.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n \u201cThe territorial integrity, the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark cannot be violated,\u201d Martin said in a post on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cAny trade war would be very damaging to everybody in the world, damaging to United States, damaging to Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump is his own worst enemy<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s former economics adviser has urged the UK and Europe to negotiate an agreement with the US over Greenland.<\/p>\n Stephen Moore, who worked on the president\u2019s 2016 election campaign, told Times Radio that the president \u201ccan be his own worst enemy\u201d and added: \u201cThis Greenland case might be one of those.\u201d<\/p>\n He said: \u201cI believe the Europeans and Trump should sit down and come up with some agreement where our security needs are met. Incidentally, this is part of Nato. He believes that the United States having a bigger military presence in Greenland would be in all of our interests.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore described Trump as a \u201cmaster negotiator\u201d who had got a better deal for the US on trade, even if tariffs had hurt the economy.<\/p>\n \u2022 Listen to live updates on Times Radio<\/a><\/p>\n Jon Yeomans: What more Trump tariffs mean for the UK<\/p>\n It was only in May that Lord Mandelson stood in the Oval Office, grinning awkwardly on live TV as President Trump announced a \u201chistoric\u201d UK-US trade deal that made us the first country to escape the worst of his \u201cliberation day\u201d tariffs. Now here we are again, staring down the barrel of punishing taxes on our exports to America.<\/p>\n First, a hike to 10 per cent from February 1, on top of a blanket 10 per cent already applied by Trump last year. This extra rate then jumps to 25 per cent from June 1 if we, and other European countries, do not agree to trade away Greenland to our (supposed) Nato ally.<\/p>\n In theory, the cost will be borne by US consumers. In practice, UK exporters face the dilemma of whether to swallow the price rises themselves or see their American sales all but dry up.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: From carmakers to steelmakers, who will be affected?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n \u2018This is a matter that goes beyond our borders\u2019<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s prime minister warned that \u201cEurope will not be blackmailed\u201d, in a statement thanking European allies for their backing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Kingdom of Denmark is receiving great support,\u201d Mette Frederiksen said. \u201cAt the same time, it is now only more clear that this is a matter that goes far beyond our own borders.\u201d<\/p>\n Frederiksen said she had been in intensive dialogue with Nato allies, including Sir Keir Starmer, after Trump\u2019s threat to impose tariffs until the US took over Greenland, a Danish territory.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the more important is that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community. We want to co-operate and we are not the ones seeking conflict,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Greenland strategy threatens Nato relationship, says Pence<\/p>\n Mike Pence, who served as vice-president in Trump\u2019s first administration, said that he supported the acquisition of Greenland but was critical of the current strategy.<\/p>\n He told CNN: \u201cI do think the current posture, which I hope will change and abate, does threaten to fracture that strong relationship, not just with Denmark but with all of our Nato allies.\u201d<\/p>\n Pence said that he had \u201cconcerns about using what I think is a questionable constitutional authority, imposing unilateral tariffs on Nato allies to achieve this objective\u201d.<\/p>\n ETHAN MILLER\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n US leader \u2018has concerns over Canada\u2019s border\u2019<\/p>\n President Trump has reportedly complained to aides repeatedly in recent weeks that Canada, like Greenland, could also be vulnerable to adversaries in the Arctic.<\/p>\n NBC News reported that Trump has argued that Canada would be unable to defend its border from China or Russia<\/a>, and that it must spend more on defence.<\/p>\n Internal conversations have not included any suggestion of stationing US troops on the ground or seeking to purchase or acquire the country through military means. However discussions have since accelerated on a wider Arctic strategy and the possibility of a deal with Canada<\/a> to strengthen its northern border.<\/p>\n Oliver Moody: How Europe could retaliate against Trump\u2019s Greenland tariffs<\/p>\n After President Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on eight Nato allies that oppose a US takeover of Greenland, there has been a palpable shift in tone from Europe\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n European leaders with President Trump in August<\/p>\n ALEXANDER DRAGO\/REUTERS<\/p>\n Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish prime minister, said: \u201cWe will not let ourselves be blackmailed.\u201d Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister and the only European head of government invited to Trump\u2019s inauguration, called the move a \u201cmistake\u201d.<\/p>\n Even Alexander Stubb, the Finnish president, who prides himself on his rhetorical restraint and has played golf with the US president, warned of a \u201charmful spiral\u201d that would damage the transatlantic axis.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Any response will be both painstakingly calibrated and probably painful<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Countries confirm \u2018full solidarity\u2019 despite Trump\u2019s threats<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s tariff threats \u201cundermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,\u201d the UK government has said in a joint statement with seven other European countries. It said: \u201cWe stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland<\/a>.<\/p>\n The statement was signed by Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, who were all singled out by the US president after they sent military officers to the island earlier this week.<\/p>\n It added: \u201cAs members of Nato, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest \u2026 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Personnel from the German armed forces board a flight leaving Nuuk airport for Reykjavik<\/p>\n ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Why does Trump want Greenland?<\/p>\n Since the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in Venezuela, President Trump has ramped up threats to seize control of Greenland, which he has long argued should come under US control.<\/p>\n Trump has refused to rule out using military force to occupy the island, which the prime ministers of both Denmark and Greenland insist is not for sale.<\/p>\n The day after the operation in Caracas, Trump told reporters: \u201cWe need Greenland from a national security situation. It\u2019s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: US president doubles down on threats to take mineral-rich territory<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Italian government split over tariffs<\/p>\n The row over the threatened Greenland tariffs has caused divisions within the Italian government.<\/p>\n Matteo Salvini, the leader of the anti-immigrant League party, who is a deputy prime minister and transport minister, said on social media: \u201cThe mania for announcing the sending of troops here and there gathers its bitter fruits. Good that Italy kept out of this bellicosity, rhetorical and harmful, of the weak nations of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n His colleague Claudio Borghi, a member of the senate, appeared to welcome the tariffs, however, and said: \u201cIf things remain this way, it will be a fantastic incentive for wine and many other Italian sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n Guido Crosetto, the defence minister and a founder of Giorgia Meloni\u2019s Brothers of Italy party, said celebration of sanctions that would weaken Italy\u2019s trade partners was incomprehensible. He added: \u201cWe are not cheering for Milan and Inter, so we should hope that dialogue and good sense prevail between our allies. And when that doesn\u2019t happen, work to recreate it.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch: \u2018This is not how allies should treat each other\u2019<\/p>\n Politicians across the world react to Trump\u2019s tariffs:<\/p>\n Italian PM speaks with Trump on tariffs<\/p>\n Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has spoken with President Trump to try to persuade him to withdraw his tariffs on Nato allies who have sent troops to Greenland.<\/p>\n Meloni told reporters in Seoul that she had phone calls with both Trump<\/a> and Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, but declined to elaborate on Trump\u2019s reaction.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI think he was interested in listening, but I think that from the American point of view the message that arrived on that side of the Atlantic was not clear. Clearly the actors that are concerning are others,\u201d she said, in an apparent reference to Russia and China, \u201cbut it seems to me that that message was not at all clear.\u201d<\/p>\n Meloni said the sending of allied troops to Greenland should not be seen in an \u201canti-American light\u201d and there was a need for renewed dialogue to avoid an escalation of the crisis.<\/p>\n EU should use \u2018legal bazooka\u2019 to push back, says Macron<\/p>\n President Macron <\/a>wants the European Union to use \u201canti-coercion\u201d legislation to block President Trump\u2019s tariffs.<\/p>\n His team said on Sunday that it hoped the European Union would use what is commonly dubbed as the bloc\u2019s legal \u201cbazooka\u201d, which allows for curbing imports of goods and services. It has previously been implemented to push back over tech and trade.<\/p>\n UK cosying up to Trump \u2018has not helped\u2019<\/p>\n The UK\u2019s former chief trade negotiator said that Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s cosying up to President Trump had not paid off.<\/p>\n Sir Crawford Falconer told Times Radio: \u201cWe told ourselves that if we did a deal with them<\/a>, we might be able to stabilise it, but what it shows is even if you were, if you\u2019re like the best kid in the class, you still cop it when another issue comes along. So there is no real security in dealing.<\/p>\n \u201cThere comes a point where you reach the judgment that all is lost and therefore you do have to adopt an adversarial approach.<\/p>\n \u201cThere could well be a point at which you have to fundamentally change the nature of your trade and economic relationship. But I don\u2019t think we\u2019re quite there yet, but it doesn\u2019t mean to say it won\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Trump accused of blackmailing allies with tariffs over Greenland<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s tariffs on opponents are a mistake, says Meloni<\/p>\n Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, has called President Trump\u2019s threat to slap tariffs on opponents of his plan to seize Greenland a \u201cmistake\u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking to journalists in Seoul, where she is currently touring, she said: \u201cI believe that imposing new sanctions today would be a mistake \u2026 I spoke to Donald Trump a few hours ago and told him what I think.\u201d<\/p>\n Farage\u2019s \u2018friendship with Trump could be useful\u2019<\/p>\n Nigel Farage\u2019s relationship with President Trump could help in discussions on Greenland, the deputy leader of Reform UK has said.<\/p>\n Trump with Nigel Farage<\/p>\n TIA DUFOUR\/THE WHITE HOUSE\/PA<\/p>\n Richard Tice said that he hoped the pair would have \u201can opportunity to have some words\u201d on the fringes of the World Economic Forum in Davos later this month.<\/p>\n He told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: \u201cThat\u2019s where real friendship can come in, to say look, we understand what you\u2019re trying to achieve, this is the wrong way to go about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Tice said that negotiations needed to take in place in private but that Starmer should make clear to Trump there were \u201clots of things that could be on the table\u201d, ranging from tariffs and tech to the Chagos Bill.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Farage ponders life as PM after Maga welcome to Washington<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Watch: Greenland defence agreement \u2018completely bizarre\u2019<\/p>\n The former UK national security adviser said the US could achieve what they want through working with Denmark, due to the wording of the defence agreement in place. <\/p>\n Lord Rickets also praised Britain, France and other countries for considering sending troops to Greenland, adding that Artic security was a shared priority for Nato. <\/p>\n \u2018Putin got exactly what he paid for\u2019<\/p>\n An account on X named Republicans Against Trump has criticised what it calls Trump\u2019s \u201cwar\u201d on \u201cour allies\u201d, in reference to the bid to acquire Greenland. In a post to more than 990,000 followers, the account shared a screenshot of Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian envoy, gloating over a rambling post by Trump on the matter, remarking: \u201cCollapse of the transatlantic union. Finally, something actually worth discussing in Davos.\u201d<\/p>\n Republicans Against Trump wrote: \u201cTop Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev is openly celebrating Trump\u2019s war on our allies. Putin<\/a> got exactly what he paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n What more Trump tariffs could mean for the UK President Trump announced a \u201chistoric\u201d UK-US trade deal that made us the first country to escape the worst of his \u201cliberation day\u201d tariffs. Now here we are again, staring down the barrel of punishing taxes on our exports to America. <\/p>\n First, a hike to 10 per cent from February 1, on top of a blanket 10 per cent already applied by Trump last year. This extra rate then jumps to 25 per cent from June 1 if we, and other European countries, do not agree to trade away Greenland to our (supposed) Nato ally.<\/p>\n In theory, the cost will be borne by US consumers. In practice, UK exporters face the dilemma of whether to swallow the price rises themselves or see their American sales all but dry up.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: What more Trump tariffs mean for the UK: carmakers, look away now<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Danish minister to visit UK on Monday<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s foreign minister will visit the UK on Monday to discuss the alliance\u2019s Arctic security strategy, his ministry has announced.<\/p>\n Lars Lokke Rasmussen will begin a diplomatic tour of Nato allies with a trip to Oslo on Sunday before travelling to London on Monday and then on to Stockholm on Thursday.<\/p>\n Trump has accused Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland of playing a \u201cvery dangerous game\u201d after they sent a few dozen troops to the island as part of a military drill.<\/p>\n \u201cIn an unstable and unpredictable world, Denmark needs close friends and allies,\u201d Rasmussen stated. \u201cOur countries share the view that we all agree on the need to strengthen Nato\u2019s role in the Arctic, and I look forward to discussing how to achieve this.\u201d<\/p>\n How much would Greenland cost if Denmark sold it to Trump? SUNDAY TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JACK HILL<\/p>\n President Trump may have to spend as much as $700 billion to buy Greenland, or almost 85 per cent of America\u2019s 2025 defence budget. <\/p>\n The figure is an estimate by academics and former US officials who were asked by NBC News to look at the potential price. <\/p>\n Yet despite being more than the Republic of Ireland\u2019s GDP for last year, it might not be enough for Denmark to agree to sell its autonomous territory. <\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Breaking down the cost of Trump\u2019s Greenland bid<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Minister calls for \u2018adult debate\u2019 with US<\/p>\n Lisa Nandy said the UK needs to have an \u201cadult debate\u201d with the US.<\/p>\n She said Sir Keir Starmer will talk to Trump at the \u201cearliest opportunity\u201d but could not say if that would be at Davos in the coming week.<\/p>\n She told the BBC: \u201cOften, with this particular US administration, the president will express a very strong view. He will then encourage a dialogue. He welcomes difference of opinion, and we will never shy away from standing up for what we believe is right, or asserting British interests. And what often happens is a negotiation.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cI think this is actually a really serious issue, and I think it deserves a far more adult debate than us threatening the United States and the United States threatening us.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump is \u2018exerting peace through strength\u2019, Mike Johnson says<\/p>\n The speaker of the US House of Representatives said diplomatic channels, not military intervention is the right path for the US regarding Greenland.<\/p>\n Speaking before President Trump announced tariffs on the UK, Mike Johnson<\/a> told the BBC: \u201cI don\u2019t foresee military intervention in Greenland. Diplomatic channels are the way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n He described President Trump as \u201cexerting peace through strength again\u201d. \u201cHe uses bravado sometimes to do it, that\u2019s his personality,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n US should not be \u2018in same basket\u2019 as China and Russia, ex-MI5 chief says<\/p>\n A former director general of MI5 said the UK should \u201cstrain every muscle\u201d to make sure that it is closely aligned to the US.<\/p>\n Lord Evans of Weardale told Times Radio that President Trump\u2019s America should not be \u201cin the same basket\u201d as China and Russia.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe way in which foreign policy is developing in America is challenging \u2026 but fundamentally it is in our interest as far as we can to continue our friendship and our alliance with the United States, which has been enormously beneficial to our security and to American security over the last two generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Evans added that selling Greenland \u201cwould not be the right way to go\u201d, but \u201cwe should strain every muscle to make sure that we are as closely aligned to the United States as it\u2019s possible to be in the circumstances\u201d.<\/p>\n Greenland minister praises European response<\/p>\n Greenland\u2019s minister for trade and natural resources has praised the \u201ccourage\u201d of the European countries threatened by President Trump\u2019s tariffs.<\/p>\n Naaja Nathanielsen wrote on LinkedIn, after attending a street protest against Trump\u2019s acquisition plan: \u201cWe live in extraordinary times that calls [sic] not only on decency but also great courage. I am amazed to witness the first responses from the targeted countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Mike Johnson: \u2018We have no ill will for our friends in Greenland\u2019 Mike Johnson is on a visit to Britain and addresses parliament on Tuesday<\/p>\n SUNDAY TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JACK HILL<\/p>\n Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, is in the UK as part of the celebrations to mark America\u2019s 250th anniversary year. However, his visit comes at a time when the two nations are facing a series of disagreements on foreign policy and more.<\/p>\n An area where the two sides seem far apart is Greenland, where Trump says he will take the Arctic island one way or another, with the UK warning against.<\/p>\n Speaking in Washington this month, Johnson suggested US military action in Greenland \u201cwould not be appropriate\u201d. Last week, Nato sent a small number of troops to the Arctic island. On Friday, Johnson welcomed this as a sign the Europeans are taking defence seriously. \u201cI see that as a positive development and I think President Trump\u2019s emphasis on that has drawn our allies\u2019 attention to it\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Does Mike Johnson have the stomach for US conquest in the Arctic?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Nato military chiefs to meet in Brussels on Wednesday<\/p>\n Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton will join other chiefs of defence staff at Nato headquarters on Wednesday for a two-day meeting of the military committee.<\/p>\n The issue of Greenland is expected to come up as allies discuss the \u201cnorthern strategic direction\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course the northern strategic direction will be discussed, as the eastern and southern one,\u201d said a Nato source. \u201cWe have and will always have a 360 degree approach to security.\u201d<\/p>\n Business leaders brand Trump\u2019s measure as \u2018grotesque\u2019 and \u2018nonsensical\u2019<\/p>\n The European business lobbies have reacted with dismay to Trump\u2019s tariff announcement.<\/p>\n Hildegard M\u00fcller, the head of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, said the costs for her country\u2019s industrial base would be \u201cenormous\u201d.<\/p>\n Dirk Jandura, the president of the BGA overseas trade association in Germany, said the measure was \u201cgrotesque\u201d. \u201cIt\u2019s actually inconceivable that the United States is punishing the participants in a Nato mission here. This is a new nadir in US-European trade relations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Harald Solberg, the chief executive of the Federation of Norwegian Industries, concurred. \u201cIt\u2019s almost unbelievable,\u201d he told the public broadcaster NRK. \u201cIn my opinion, it appears to be utterly nonsensical.\u201d<\/p>\n UN general assembly president warns of \u2018disaster\u2019 as sovereignty row escalates<\/p>\n The president of the UN general assembly said sovereignty is in the UN charter because otherwise the result would be \u201cdisaster\u201d.<\/p>\n Asked for her reaction to the tariffs over Greenland, Annalena Baerbock told Sky News that the UN charter is \u201cnot optional, it is indeed existential\u201d.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI came here to commemorate 80 years of UN first general assembly meeting here in London. You could still see back then the wounds of war.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a reason why we drafted in the past this charter of sovereignty for everybody, territorial integrity to everybody, knowing that if we would not respect the territorial integrity of other states it would end in disaster.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the message the world needs right now from the whole international community.\u201d<\/p>\n US officer \u2018sought information on Greenland\u2019<\/p>\n A United States military officer tried to obtain information about Greenland\u2019s infrastructure from a Danish colleague on the island a year ago, according to a report.<\/p>\n Berlingske, a Danish newspaper, said the two email requests to Lieutenant Colonel Lars H Madsen, the liaison officer at Denmark\u2019s Joint Arctic Command, had been made in January 2025, only a few days before President Trump\u2019s inauguration. <\/p>\n They bypassed the usual channels, which would have run through the Danish foreign ministry, defence ministry or senior armed forces leadership. <\/p>\n It is unclear precisely what information the American sought and whether Madsen handed it over.<\/p>\n Nandy: UK will not back down on Greenland<\/p>\n The UK government will not change its position on Greenland despite the threat of US tariffs, Lisa Nandy said.<\/p>\n Echoing Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s comments, the culture secretary<\/a> told Times Radio that there are \u201cserious challenges in the Arctic region\u201d which countries need to \u201cwork together\u201d to resolve.<\/p>\n Asked if the UK would keep in line with Europe, she added: \u201cI can guarantee that our position, which is based on principles about the sovereignty of countries and their own right to determine their own futures, will not change.\u201d<\/p>\n She also said it is \u201cperfectly possible to have disagreements with some of your closest friends and allies\u201d. Nandy added: \u201cOur relationship with the United States is second to none and has helped to keep generations of people here in the UK and over in the United States safe, and we\u2019ll continue to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary<\/p>\n WIKTOR SZYMANOWICZ\/FUTURE PUBLISHING\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n \u2018Greenland not for sale\u2019, say protesters A statue of President Trump carried aloft by protesters in Copenhagen on Saturday<\/p>\n JOHAN NILSSON\/TT\/SHUTTERSTOCK<\/p>\n Thousands of people chanting \u201cGreenland is not for sale\u201d protested in several Danish cities on Saturday after President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that oppose his drive to seize the Arctic island.<\/p>\n In Copenhagen, demonstrators waving the red-and-white Erfalasorput flag of Greenland, assembled in City Hall Square before marching towards the American embassy. Banners read: \u201cHands off Greenland\u201d and \u201cMake America Smart Again\u201d.<\/p>\n Also on Saturday, protesters gathered in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, where organisers planned to march to the American consulate.<\/p>\n Read more: Protests in Denmark against Trump takeover<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Germany\u2019s AfD turn on Trump<\/p>\n The hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which normally prides itself on excellent relations with the Maga movement, has turned on President Trump over the tariffs.<\/p>\n Tino Chrupalla, the AfD\u2019s joint leader, told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that the \u201cimperial policy\u201d had to be \u201cviewed critically\u201d, although he questioned whether Trump was serious in his insistence on annexing Greenland. <\/p>\n A big hit to EU economies<\/p>\n Economists have already modelled the likely effects of across-the-board 25 per cent US tariffs on Europe\u2019s larger economies during trade tensions with Washington last year. <\/p>\n Estimates suggest that the overall hit to the European Union would be about 0.5 per cent of GDP over the medium term. <\/p>\n In the case of Germany, which is unusually dependent on goods exports to the United States, it would be between 0.5 and 1 per cent of GDP over two years, according to a study by Commerzbank.<\/p>\n France\u2019s growth would slow by about 0.3 or 0.4 per cent of GDP. <\/p>\n Leading MEP calls for suspension of US trade deal<\/p>\n The most powerful politician in the European parliament has paved the way for Brussels to suspend its trade deal with the United States in response to President Trump\u2019s fresh tariffs.<\/p>\n Manfred Weber, a Bavarian conservative MEP and head of the chamber\u2019s largest political bloc, said the time had come for the European Union\u2019s zero tariffs on US goods to be \u201cput on hold\u201d. <\/p>\n EU leaders accuse Trump of \u2018blackmail\u2019<\/p>\n European leaders said they would not be swayed by \u201cblackmail\u201d after Trump announced the tariffs.<\/p>\n Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said: \u201cTerritorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,\u201d she added. The EU\u2019s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said: \u201cChina and Russia must be having a field day\u201d.<\/p>\n Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish prime minister, said: \u201cWe won\u2019t let ourselves be blackmailed.\u201d<\/p>\n France\u2019s President Macron vowed: \u201cNo intimidation nor threat will influence us.\u201d He added that Europeans will respond in a \u201cunited and co-ordinated manner\u201d.<\/p>\n Starmer condemns tariffs as \u2018completely wrong\u2019<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer described the tariffs, adding to what Britain already pays, as \u201ccompletely wrong\u201d.<\/p>\n He said the government\u2019s position on Greenland was \u201cvery clear \u2014 it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes\u201d.<\/p>\n Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer, pictured during the UK state visit in September<\/p>\n LEON NEAL\/REUTERS<\/p>\n The prime minister added: \u201cWe have also made clear that Arctic security matters for the whole of Nato, and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia across different parts of the Arctic.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they are not there, we have kept them out. We have literally not seen a Chinese warship near Greenland for ten years.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/1e63349f-b1c3-48b9-954e-3cb33d96dcc4.png\")
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\u2022 France: 15 soldiers from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade
\u2022 Germany: 15-strong \u201cscoping\u201d team from the armed forces operational command
\u2022 Sweden: three officers
\u2022 Finland: two liaison officers
\u2022 Norway: two officers
\u2022 Slovenia: two officers
\u2022 Netherlands: two officers (one logistics planner and one operations planner)
\u2022 Iceland: two members of the coast guard (Iceland has no armed forces)
\u2022 UK: one officer
\u2022 Belgium: one officer, from Monday<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/5bce7bfc-ade6-446b-ab31-9044275daf88.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/a73037a4-c6b3-4ca1-b0b4-183b3bc3e968.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/bc952f2a-44f4-4654-80e5-9626a74bc3c8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Lisa](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768765701_717_\/51d7f0dd-c96d-4edf-9893-6a017ddaddfd.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768765707_944_\/24f6ec59-0058-404e-99ae-d2f7a49086b0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\/086de51e-8be9-4da5-b8a7-bfcb0a2bbb1f.jpg\")
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