Brussels (dpa) – European Council President António Costa is set to organize a special summit in response to US President Donald Trump‘s recent tariff threats related to the Greenland issue, with Thursday being a potential date for the meeting, according to an EU official on Sunday.
Although the date is yet to be finalized, it is certain that a summit will occur.
Costa noted that discussions with member states regarding the escalating tensions over Greenland indicated that tariffs could severely damage transatlantic relations and would conflict with the EU-US trade agreement.
He expressed that the EU is ready to protect itself against any coercive actions while maintaining a desire for constructive collaboration with the United States. There is a shared transatlantic interest in ensuring peace and security in the Arctic, primarily through NATO cooperation.
The summit will gather EU heads of government and state following Trump’s announcement on Saturday of a 10 percent tariff on goods from eight European nations starting February 1, which could escalate to 25 percent from June 1 if his demands for a “complete and total purchase” of Greenland are not met.
European troops in Greenland
The tariffs will affect six EU countries: Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, along with the United Kingdom and Norway.
This tariff decision comes as NATO allies have deployed troops to Greenland, a move that Trump has condemned. He expressed concerns about the situation on his Truth Social platform, stating that the presence of Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, French, German, British, Dutch, and Finnish troops in Greenland poses a significant threat to global safety.
On Sunday, the eight involved nations released a joint statement cautioning against a “dangerous downward spiral” as a result of Trump’s tariff declaration.
All eight nations are NATO members, and NATO chief Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with ministers from Greenland and Denmark on Monday regarding this dispute.
Greenland, which is a largely autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is also part of NATO. (18 January)
The editorial responsibility for the publication lies with dpa.
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