Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy reaffirmed the UK’s firm stance on Greenland, despite threats from US President Donald Trump. Trump warned of imposing 10% tariffs on countries, including the UK, for opposing his territorial ambitions. Nandy emphasized the UK’s disagreement with Trump’s approach but emphasized a desire to avoid escalating tensions with the US.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer criticized Trump’s tariff threats on NATO allies, calling them “completely wrong.” Nandy echoed these sentiments, labeling the tariffs as unproductive and counterproductive. She reiterated the UK’s position that Greenland’s future should be determined by the people of Greenland and Denmark.
In response to Denmark’s increased military presence in Greenland, the UK deployed a military officer to the region. Trump, however, escalated tensions by threatening tariffs on countries opposing his Greenland acquisition plans, including the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.
Nandy emphasized the importance of the UK-US relationship but reiterated the UK’s non-negotiable stance on Greenland. She highlighted the need to avoid confrontation and work together. French President Macron and Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson also rejected Trump’s intimidation tactics. EU ambassadors convened emergency talks to address the situation, with concerns raised about the potential economic impacts of tariffs benefiting China and Russia.
The EU’s foreign policy chief warned that tariffs could harm the US and EU economies while favoring China and Russia. Former Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas expressed concerns about the division among allies benefiting other global powers.