Belgium urges EU to stand united against US pressure on Greenland
Speaking in a radio interview, Prevot said engagement with Washington remains the preferred option, but only if discussions are free from intimidation or coercive tactics. If threats persist, he said the EU should be prepared to activate its anti-coercion instrument, a package of economic countermeasures often described as Europe’s most powerful trade defense tool.
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Washington plans to impose 10 percent tariffs on imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1. The tariffs would increase to 25 percent in June unless an agreement is reached for "for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."
Trump has argued that Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is essential for US national security and for countering rivals such as Russia and China. European leaders have since pledged to maintain a common front.
“Our response must be strong, united and proportionate,” Prevot said. “Blackmail and threats from our original ally are unacceptable.”
“Frankly, humiliation is not an option. We deserve respect. When that respect is trampled upon, we must respond in a meaningful and united way,” the minister said.
When asked whether the United States remains a dependable partner, Prevot said it continues to be Europe’s ally but acknowledged that relations are changing. “We need to redefine our relationship. I dare to hope that the perspective of the EU's bazooka will create space for dialogue, so that the threat disappears,” he said.
Prevot also warned against underestimating Trump’s approach, saying Europe must not allow itself to become “the adjustment variable of the erratic ambitions of the Trump administration.”
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