Britain tries to cast a spell on President Trump to defuse threat of Greenland tariffs

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm amid heightened tensions between the United States and its European allies after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on a number of countries if they blocked the purchase of Arctic territory.

Starmer told a press conference on Monday that while Britain highly values ​​its long-standing special relationship with the United States, only Greenland and Denmark can decide on the island’s future.

“The right way to tackle this serious problem in Greenland is to have calm discussions between our allies,” Starmer told a press conference in Downing Street.

“But there are principles here that cannot be set aside. They go to the heart of how stable and reliable international cooperation works, and any decision regarding Greenland’s future status belongs solely to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark,” he added.

Starmer spoke with President Trump on Sunday night and said he was wrong to threaten to impose new tariffs on NATO allies unless they agreed to Trump’s demands to “buy” Greenland.

The proposed tariffs would target Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. The tariffs will be in addition to existing export duties to the United States, which currently stand at 10% for the UK and 15% for the EU.

Starmer said over the weekend that Britain’s position on Greenland was clear, but like other European leaders, he also sought to appease Trump by saying NATO allies should work together more to deal with the Russian threat across the Arctic.

“Our position on Greenland is very clear: Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for Greenlanders and Danes,” Starmer said in a statement released by the British government on Saturday.

He added: “It is completely wrong to impose tariffs on our NATO allies in pursuit of their collective security. Of course, we will pursue this directly with the US government.”

President Trump has argued that U.S. ownership of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, would make the world safer and deter Russian and Chinese activity on the Arctic island. Moscow and China have dismissed his claims, but European leaders maintain that Greenland’s future is a matter between Greenland and Denmark.

European countries are reportedly considering retaliatory tariffs and broader economic countermeasures against the United States, but Britain has traditionally refrained from threatening counter-tariffs.

Mr Starmer reiterated on Monday that using tariffs to resolve such issues is “completely wrong” and not the “right way to resolve differences within the Union”, adding: “Trade wars are in no one’s interest.”

Still, despite political differences, the prime minister is known to have a warm and friendly relationship with President Trump.

Britain became the first country to strike a trade deal with Washington last year, largely due to President Trump’s apparent warmth towards the country. The US president indulged in all the glitz and glamor Britain could muster during a state visit last autumn.

“The UK and the US are close allies and close partners. That relationship is critical not only to our security, but also to the prosperity and stability on which people here depend…We are determined to keep that relationship strong, constructive and results-oriented,” Starmer said on Monday.

But with “events moving so quickly,” he said, “the most important thing is to be clear about the values ​​and motivations that drive us.”

“We are pragmatic but resolute in defending these values ​​when it matters.”

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