‘Dangerous downward spiral’: European leaders slam Trump’s tariff threat

European countries targeted by Trump’s latest tariffs accidental they are agreed connected ‘upholding our sovereignty’.

European leaders person condemned United States President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on countries that resist his bid to take over Greenland, warning the determination risks a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic ties.

In a associated connection connected Sunday, the 8 countries targeted by Trump for caller tariffs said they “stand successful afloat solidarity” with Denmark and the radical of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

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“Building connected the process begun past week, we basal acceptable to prosecute successful a dialog based connected the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we basal firmly behind,” Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom said successful the statement.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and hazard a unsafe downward spiral. We volition proceed to basal agreed and coordinated successful our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”

The rebuke came arsenic European officials were preparing to clasp exigency talks connected coordinating a effect to Trump’s escalating unit run implicit the aboriginal of the immense island.

European Council President Antonio Costa said connected Sunday that the bloc was agreed successful upholding nationalist sovereignty and to “defend ourselves against immoderate signifier of coercion” up of a planned bonzer gathering of subordinate states successful the coming days.

European officials are expected to sermon a scope of options for responding to Trump’s economical threats, including retaliatory tariffs and marketplace restrictions for US firms.

Trump announced connected Saturday that the 8 countries volition look a 10 percent tariff from February 1, rising to 25 percent from June 1, until a woody is reached for the US to bargain Greenland.

The Financial Times reported that the bloc was considering imposing 93 cardinal euros worthy of tariffs connected US goods arsenic good arsenic activating the Anti-Coercion Instrument, commonly known arsenic the “trade bazooka”, adopted by the bloc successful 2023.

The mechanism, which has ne'er been used, allows for sweeping restrictions connected investments and the withdrawal of intelligence spot protections for overseas firms successful the bloc.

“The Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), designed precisely for specified cases, indispensable present beryllium used,” German MEP Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s commercialized committee, said successful a station connected X.

“I telephone connected the European Commission to activate it immediately.”

Trump’s insistence connected controlling Greenland has plunged US-European relations to their lowest constituent successful decades, prompting fears for the endurance of NATO.

Trump, who has not ruled retired the usage of subject unit to prehend the territory, has brushed speech concerns astir splitting the 32-member transatlantic alliance, which is built connected the rule that an equipped onslaught against immoderate 1 subordinate is considered an onslaught against all.

Denmark has ruled retired selling Greenland, and sentiment polls suggest the immense bulk of the island’s 57,000 residents bash not privation to beryllium portion of the US.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Danish cities to rally against Trump’s threats, chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and holding banners with slogans specified arsenic “Hands disconnected Greenland”.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen connected Sunday expressed appreciation for the “strong support” being offered to her country.

“We privation to cooperate, and it is not america who are seeking conflict. And I americium pleased by the accordant messages from the remainder of the continent: Europe volition not beryllium blackmailed,” Frederiksen said successful a connection connected societal media.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that “no intimidation oregon threat” would power his government’s presumption connected Greenland.

“Tariff threats are unacceptable and person nary spot successful this context,” Macron said connected societal media.

“Europeans volition respond successful a agreed and coordinated mode should they beryllium confirmed. We volition guarantee that European sovereignty is upheld.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump’s planned tariffs “completely wrong”.

“We volition of people beryllium pursuing this straight with the US administration,” helium said connected societal media.