Trump nixes European tariff threats over Greenland after NATO chief talks

United States President Donald Trump says he is abandoning plans to impose steep tariffs on European countries opposed to his plans to take control of Greenland, after holding talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte.

Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday that the tariffs won’t be imposed because he and Rutte agreed to “the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region”.

“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations”, he said, without going into further details about what was agreed upon.

Trump has been threatening for weeks to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous island that belongs to Denmark, spurring widespread condemnation in Europe and around the world.

Trump announced on Saturday that he would impose 10 percent tariffs on Denmark, ‌Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, starting on February 1, over the countries ‘ opposition to his Greenland takeover push.

Trump has repeatedly accused Denmark of failing to do enough to secure Greenland’s territorial waters in the Arctic, and he has argued that the US needs to seize the island for its own national security.

But Greenlandic and Danish leaders have rejected the US president’s stance, which recently spurred mass protests under the banner, “Hands off Greenland”.

“Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context”, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media after Trump issued his economic threat on Saturday.

“Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed. We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld”, Macron said.

‘ Well-earned criticism ‘

Trump’s about-face on the tariffs came just hours after he told world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday that while the annexation of Greenland was necessary, his administration would not use force to do it.

“People thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force”, said Trump, adding that he was “seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland” by the US.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen had reiterated that negotiations on the transfer of Greenland to the US were out of the question.

After Trump’s speech at Davos, Rasmussen told the broadcaster DR, “We will not enter into negotiations based on abandoning fundamental principles.” “That’s never going to happen.”

He continued, “He says he will not use military force, but it does not solve the problem. “

Rasmussen and other European leaders were equally pleased with Trump’s declaration that he would not impose tariffs on their nations.

According to Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, Trump’s “demands about moving borders” have received “well-earned criticism.”