Trump-Greenland latest: Relations with US have suffered a ‘big blow’, EU foreign policy chief says

EU leaders say relations with the United States have been badly shaken after a turbulent week marked by Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ties with Washington had “taken a big blow over the last week”, but added that Europe was “not willing to junk 80 years of good relations”.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said EU unity and engagement with the US in a “firm but non-escalatory manner” had helped defuse tensions.

Trump had announced plans to impose 10 per cent tariffs on eight European countries that opposed a proposed US takeover of Greenland.

But he rowed back on that threat on Wednesday after meeting with Nato’s chief Mark Rutte in Davos.

Donald Trump has withdrawn an earlier invitation for Canadian prime minister Mark Carney to join his proposed “Board of Peace”, announcing the decision in a post on Truth Social addressed directly to Carney.

The board, initially floated as part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, has since expanded in scope to cover a much wider range of global issues.

The move appears to follow remarks Carney made at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he warned that “Great powers… have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited”.

President Trump thrives on division so Nato must do three things to survive and thrive, writes General Sir Richard Shirreff, former Nato deputy supreme allied commander Europe:

French president Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said European pressure forced US president Donald Trump to back down from his threats to take control of Greenland.

“Europe can make itself be respected, and that’s a very good thing,” Mr Macron told reporters as he arrived in Brussels for an emergency summit.

“When we use the tools that we have at our disposal we get respect and that’s what happened this week.”

He wrote on social media: “When Europe reacts in a united way, using the instruments at its disposal while it is threatened, it earns respect.”

Sir Keir Starmer says he will discuss with Denmark’s prime minister how to “take the vital steps” towards strengthened security in the Arctic.

The Prime Minister and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen met at Chequers, a day after the US president dropped tariff threats against European nations.

Ms Frederiksen thanked him for the UK’s support during “quite a difficult time” for the country.

Sir Keir said: “In terms of recent developments and the withdrawal of the threat of tariffs, I see that as a reflection of pragmatism, common sense and sticking to our values and our principles.

“The hard yards now – finding a better way forward on the issue that we all agree on, which is security in the Arctic – is the next chapter here, and I look forward to discussing with you how we take the vital steps down that path.”

A 1951 agreement between Washington and Copenhagen established the US’s right to construct military bases in Greenland and move around freely in Greenlandic territory. This is still the case as long as Denmark and Greenland are informed of its actions.

Washington has a base at Pituffik in northern Greenland.

Marc Jacobsen, a professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, said: “It is important to clarify that the US had 17 bases during the Cold War and much greater activity. So that is already possible now under the current agreement.”

But diplomats told Reuters EU leaders will rethink relations with the US as the Greenland episode had badly shaken confidence in the transatlantic relationship. Governments remain wary of another change of mind by Trump, who is increasingly seen as a bully Europe will have to stand up to, they said.

Trump whims are turning into demands very quickly these days, writes Anne McElvoy: