4 months ago
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Europe is preparing countermeasures against U.S. President Donald Trump’s “blackmail” aft helium threatened tariffs against respective countries implicit their absorption to his designs connected Greenland, Germany’s vice chancellor said connected Monday (January 19, 2026).
“We volition not let ourselves to beryllium blackmailed,” said Lars Klingbeil, astatine a Berlin property league alongside the French system and concern minister, Roland Lescure.
“Europe volition respond with a united, wide response, and we are present preparing countermeasures unneurotic with our European partners.”
Mr. Trump vowed connected Saturday to deed European countries — including Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory — with tariffs of up to 25% unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden already deed backmost astatine the menace successful a associated connection astatine the weekend.
Mr. Klingbeil said Europe’s effect could person 3 main strands.
First, the existent tariff woody with the United States would beryllium enactment connected hold, helium said.
Second, European tariffs connected imports from the United States, presently suspended until aboriginal February, could travel into force, said Mr. Klingbeil, who is besides Germany’s concern minister.
And thirdly the EU should see utilizing its toolbox of instruments that tin beryllium deployed to respond to “economic blackmail” against Washington, helium added.
Mr. Lescure agreed with Mr. Klingbeil that Mr. Trump’s menace amounted to “blackmail”.
“Blackmail betwixt allies of 250 years, blackmail betwixt friends, is evidently unacceptable,” said the French minister.
“We Europeans indispensable stay agreed and coordinated successful our effect and, supra all, beryllium prepared to marque afloat usage of the instruments” of the European Union, helium said.
“We are determined to support our sovereignty.”
Mr. Lescure said a gathering of G7 concern ministers would beryllium convened successful the coming days to sermon pressing issues, including Greenland. France is the existent seat of the grouping, and the United States is simply a member.
Mr. Klingbeil stressed that the “limit has been reached” erstwhile it came to the U.S. person making threats.
“We are perpetually experiencing a caller confrontation that President Trump is seeking,” helium said.
