According to a report from Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s office, he delivered a message to US President Donald Trump telling him that imposing tariffs on countries friendly to the US because of the situation in Greenland “would be wrong”. The phone conversation occurred Sunday, making it the first time the two presidents had spoken since Trump announced he may pursue new trade penalties related to Greenland.
Tariff Plan Raises Tensions
President Trump recently announced that tariffs could be imposed by the United States on products produced in eight European countries (e.g., the United Kingdom) beginning February 1, 2020, potentially increasing to 25% by June 30, 2020, unless an arrangement can be made to facilitate the acquisition of Greenland by the United States. This proposal has unsettled Europe and residents of Greenland, which is an independent region belonging to Denmark.
Sir Keir has continuously stated that the fate of Greenland should be determined by the people of Greenland, in conjunction with Denmark, rather than by foreign governments.
NATO and Security Concerns
According to a spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister’s office following their telephone conversation, Sir Keir Starmer expressed to Mr Trump on behalf of the NATO Friends and Allies Group that security in the Arctic Region is vital for all NATO Member Nations and that penalising NATO Allies through tariffs for cooperating in securing our common security is unacceptable.
Before having his discussion with Mr Trump, Sir Keir had discussed the topic with other European leaders such as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. It should be noted that Denmark has categorically stated that Greenland cannot be sold and that any form of military action against Greenland would jeopardise the security of the entire NATO alliance. Furthermore, Greenland’s leaders have made it abundantly clear that they wish to remain part of Denmark as opposed to being annexed by the United States.
Europe Stands United
The eight nations that have been threatened with tariffs issued a joint statement indicating that this action will hurt the relationship of the United States with Europe. These nations include Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. While all stated their strong support for Denmark and Greenland, they also expressed their continuing commitment to Arctic security.
President Trump claimed that Denmark does not have the ability to protect Greenland from threats created by both Russia and China. Although there has been no decision against using military action to obtain Greenland, the Trump administration indicated that purchasing it is the preferred way of acquiring it.
UK Political Reaction
Sir Keir’s remarks constitute an exception, in terms of a public disagreement with a US president who has been a close partner of his in the past, and demonstrate his unease with the direction of American trade policy. All UK politicians, regardless of party affiliation, condemned the threat of tariffs as counterproductive, and a number warned that taking action against a NATO ally would be detrimental to the long-term strength of the alliance.
Why Greenland Matters
Greenland’s geographical location provides an opportunity for the United States to strategically observe activity in the Arctic. The U.S. also has established a military presence in Greenland and also has shown great interest in harvesting the natural resources of Greenland, which will be more readily accessible with the rapid climate change occurring throughout the world.