US President Donald Trump called off looming tariffs on European countries over Greenland after he said he reached a “framework of a future deal” over the island during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Closing summary: Trump backs down from imposing tariffs, and other key points
President Donald Trump delivered remarks to government officials and business elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.
He made headlines when he said he would not use military force to acquire Greenland but laid out an argument to have the US have control over the Danish territory, saying US ownership would “strengthen” the NATO alliance.
Europe later said it was going to suspend the approval of a trade deal reached with Trump last year in July.
Hours after that, Trump said he was scrapping tariffs he threatened to impose on eight European countries, including Denmark and Germany, over their support for Greenland’s status to continue to be a part of the Danish Kingdom.
Trump said he was backing down after having a conversation with NATO Secretary- General Mark Rutte and that the pair had “formed the framework of a future deal” with respect to Greenland.
European leaders have reacted to the news of an emergent deal over the future of Greenland, but there’s sure to be more on the EU-US trade deal later this morning.
How Europe is reacting to Trump announcing he was dropping tariff threat, striking deal over future of Greenland
Here are some more reactions from Europe:
Denmark’s ‘day ends better than it began’
“The day is ending better than it began,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Danish radio.
“I’m taking two things away from Davos: that Trump says he won’t attack Greenland … and that the tariff war is on standby. That’s positive.”
He posted on X that leaders still needed to “sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Italy calls for more dialogue
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she “welcomed” the suspension of tariffs scheduled for February 1.
But in a post on X, she stressed that it is “essential to continue fostering dialogue between allied nations.”
Germany warns against ‘getting hopes up’
But Germany’s finance minister warned against premature optimism over the Greenland deal.
“It’s good that they [the US and NATO] are engaged in dialogue,” Lars Klingbeil said in an interview with Germany’s ZDF television.
“But we have to wait a bit and not get our hopes up too soon,” Klingbeil said.
It was important that Europe “made it clear that these are the sovereign interests of Greenland and also Denmark,” Klingbeil said. “There is state integrity and sovereignty, and that will not be shifted.”
Trump says Greenland agreement is ‘forever’
US President Donald Trump said the broad outlines of the Greenland agreement were in place, without providing further details, but when asked about whether the US would own the island, Trump said the matter was somewhat complex.
“It’ll be forever for Greenland at this point, forever,” Trump said about the agreement.
He said the agreement would address security issues, as he has argued that the US must own Greenland for national security reasons amid concerns about threats from China and Russia.
Netherlands welcomes Trump move to cancel tariffs on European countries
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof welcomed Donald Trump’s move to cancel threatened tariffs against European allies as a sign of “de-escalation.”
“It is positive that we are now on the path to de-escalation and that the 10-percent import tariffs are off the table,” Schoof wrote on X.
“Now it is important that the US, Canada and Europe continue to work together within NATO to strengthen security in the Arctic region and counter threats from Russia and China,” he added.
NATO hails ‘very productive’ talks with Trump
NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said the alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, had held “very productive” talks with Donald Trump on security in the Arctic region.
“Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the president referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies,” Hart said.
“Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland,” she added.
Denmark welcomes Trump not using force on Greenland
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US no longer plans to impose tariffs on European nations.
Ramussen said the day ended better than it started, seeing it as a positive sign that Trump has ended the brief trade war over Greenland.
Denmark’s top diplomat said it was a good signal that Trump won’t use force, but warned that the US president has “an ambition we can’t accomodate.”
Trump calls Greenland agreement ‘a deal everyone is happy with’
In statements made after the post on his Truth Social network, Trump said the agreement on Greenland “gets everything we wanted,” that it is a deal “everyone is happy with,” and that he hopes the deal will “last forever.”
“It’s a deal that people jumped at, really fantastic for the USA, gets everything we wanted, including especially real national security and international security,” he said.
He added that additional details on the framework agreement would be announced later.
“Its a little bit complex,” Trump said, adding it will be explained “down the line.”
Trump drops tariff threat in Greenland push
President Donald Trump said he is dropping his tariff threat on several European nations after agreeing with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a “framework of a future deal” involving Greenland and the wider Arctic region.
The step-down comes days after Trump threatened to impose a 10% import tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland until “a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
On Wednesday, he wrote on Truth Social: “I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February.”
The move could ease tensions with NATO partners, though questions remain about what the Arctic deal actually includes.
Europe has been steadfast in saying Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark.
Speaking at WEF earlier, Trump also ruled out using force to acquire the island from Denmark, calling instead for immediate negotiations.
Trump argues Greenland is vital for US and NATO security against Russia and China.
Trump says he and NATO’s Rutte agreed to ‘framework of a future deal’ on Arctic
US President Donald Trump said he and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte “have formed the framework of a future deal” concerning Greenland.
The two met during the World Economic Forum.
Trump added that he would not impose tariffs on key European allies, including Germany, despite their opposition to his plan for the US to take control of Greenland.
“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” he wrote on his Truth Social.
Greenland government issues emergency preparedness brochure
Greenland’s government issued new emergency preparedness guidelines for the general public on Wednesday as the vast, sparsely inhabited island suddenly monopolizes global attention.
Peter Borg, minister for fisheries, hunting, agriculture and self-sufficiency, said in a press conference in Nuuk that the document was only meant as “an insurance policy.”
“We don’t expect to have to use it,” Borg said.
According to Greenland residents online, the brochure provides advice about household preparedness in the difficult terrain and climate.
As examples, it advises citizens to ensure they have ample quantities of water, non-perishable foods, and an alternative heat source for cooking without electricity, essential medication, a first-aid kit and several days’ worth of hygiene supplies.
European Parliament puts EU-US trade deal work on hold in Greenland protest
The European Parliament has suspended its work on the EU’s trade deal with the US brokered with the Trump administration last summer in protest at the demands to acquire Greenland and the accompanying threats of fresh tariffs.
The EU assembly has been debating various components of the agreement struck in Turnberry, Scotland, and its trade committee had been scheduled to vote on them next week.
However, the committee’s chairman, Bernd Lange, said on Wednesday that the process and the votes had been postponed.
“Given the continued and escalating threats, including tariff threats, against Greenland and Denmark, and their European allies, we have been left with no alternative but to suspend work on the two Turnberry legislative proposals until the US decides to re-engage on a path of cooperation rather than confrontation, and before any further steps are taken,” Lange said.
Lange said that by threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of EU member Denmark, and using tariffs as a coercive instrument, “the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU-US trade relations.”
Despite various reservations about the deal being lopsided, with the EU required to cut most import duties while the US sticks to a broad rate of 15%, lawmakers had previously indicated a willingness to accept the agreement with caveats.
EU trade deals need approval from the European Parliament, often one of the hardest and most divided chambers for it to clear, as well as from individual member states.
The complexity of this was also on show on Wednesday as the European Parliament voted for a legal check of the recently-signed deal with four Mercosur countries in Latin America.
Trump wants ‘negotiations’ to secure Greenland but ‘won’t use force’
US President Donald Trump claims he “won’t use force” to take over Greenland and called for “immediate negotiations” to discuss the “acquisition” of the Arctic territory by the United States.
“This enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America,” Trump said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, referring to the Danish territory’s geographical location off the northeastern coast of Canada.
“That’s our territory,” he continued.
“The fact is, no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States,” Trump said. “We’re a great power, much greater than people even understand. I think they found that out two weeks ago in Venezuela.”
The US president also responded to a speech by Mark Carney on Tuesday in which the Canadian Prime Minister called for “middle powers” to “act together” amid geopolitical developments he described as a “rupture.”
Trump claimed that Canada gets many “freebies” from the US and “should be grateful.”
“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said. “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
UK ‘will not yield’ to Trump pressure over Greenland, PM Starmer says
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday that the United Kingdom would not give in to pressure from US President Donald Trump over the future of the autonomous Danish territory Greenland.
“I will not yield, Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs,” he told lawmakers in Parliament, adding he would host Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in London on Thursday.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Britain and other European countries for opposing his claims on Greenland.
“The future of Greenland is a binary issue that is splitting the world at the moment, with material consequences,” Starmer said. “I’ve been clear and consistent in my position on the future of Greenland: the future is for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.”
Danish veterans of US wars feel betrayed by Trump’s threats
Danish veterans who served alongside US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq say they feel “betrayed” by Washington’s threats to seize Greenland — the Arctic territory which belongs to Denmark.
Following the September 11, 2021, attacks, Denmark contributed up to 750 troops to the US-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. Out of that number, 44 were killed — the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces.
A further eight Danish soldiers were killed fighting alongside US forces in Iraq between 2003 and 2007.
The AP news agency spoke to two Danish veterans who said they understand Arctic security concerns but believe Denmark is committed to defending the region within NATO.
“When America needed us after 9/11 we were there,” said Martin Tamm Andersen, 46, a former Danish platoon commander whose vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in southern Afghanistan in 2010.
“As a veteran and as a Dane, you feel sad and very surprised that the US wants to take over part of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said. “It’s a betrayal of the loyalty of our nation to the US and to our common alliance, NATO.”
Fellow Danish veteran Soren Knudsen also said that the US takeover of Greenland would mark “the final moment of my admiration and love of what has been the American experiment for 250 years.”
“I would be very sorry if it happened, because I would also see this as the final moments of the NATO alliance,” Knudsen said.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/trump-greenland-agreement-a-deal-everyone-is-happy-with/live-75588065
