Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday responded to US President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on European nations opposing the US takeover of Greenland, asserting that “Europe will not be blackmailed.”
In a separate statement issued after a joint declaration by eight European countries targeted by Trump’s proposed tariffs, Frederiksen said, “The Kingdom of Denmark is receiving great support.”
“I am pleased with the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe will not be blackmailed,” she said, adding, “It is now even clearer that this is an issue that reaches far beyond our own borders.”
The Danish Prime Minister, however, stated that Denmark wants to cooperate and is not seeking a conflict.
Earlier in the day, the eight countries issued a joint statement expressing “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland.”
“We stand ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we firmly uphold,” the statement said.
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The remarks came a day after Trump announced plans to impose additional tariffs on several NATO allies, including Denmark, France and the United Kingdom, for opposing his bid to take over Greenland.
He said that starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face a 10 per cent tariff on all goods exported to the United States.
The tariffs would be raised to 25 per cent from June 1, he added.
The US President also expressed concern over the deployment of additional troops to Greenland by several European countries, calling it a dangerous move.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet,” he said. “These countries, which are playing this very dangerous game, have introduced a level of risk that is not tenable or sustainable.”
Trump reiterated that the United States has been trying to purchase Greenland for 150 years, but Denmark has always refused.
“Now, because of the Golden Dome and modern-day weapons systems, both offensive and defensive, the need to acquire is especially important,” he stressed.