Greenland, with a population of fewer than 57,000, might not seem to be the territory on which the future of the relationship between Europe and the US, the viability of Nato as the world’s most successful defence alliance, or even the fractured relations between the UK and Europe would be determined.
But battlefields are sometimes the product of chance, rather than choice. It now feels as if Donald Trump’s threat to impose 10% tariffs on eight fellow Nato states for sending troops last week to support Greenland’s sovereignty may be one of those clarifying moments in which Europe had no option. Successive European leaders condemned Trump’s blackmail and intimidation on Sunday and they sounded as if they meant it.
The chair of the Danish parliament’s defence committee, Rasmus Jarlov, can hardly claim to speak for Europe, but he captured a mood in saying: “Every insult, threat, tariff and lie that we receive strengthens our resolve. The answer from Denmark and Greenland is final: We will never hand over Greenland.”
He added: “We pray that our true allies will stand with us because we are going to need it.”
So far there is every sign that all eight countries targeted by Trump will spring to Denmark’s defence. Even leaders of other European countries close to Trump such as the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, called his decision a mistake.
In their joint statement the eight made no threat of reprisals such as imposing counter-tariffs on the US, but they warned his move risked a dangerous downward spiral and that a trade war would be a matter of time.
