By Emmanuel Bobby
The European Union will convene an emergency meeting of its ambassadors in Brussels on Sunday following President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States would impose tariffs on eight EU member states unless a deal is reached allowing Washington to purchase Greenland, according to the Cyprus presidency of the EU Council.
European leaders and U.S. lawmakers reacted with sharp criticism on Saturday, condemning both the tariff threats and Trump’s renewed push to bring the Danish territory under U.S. control.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola warned that the proposed measures against NATO allies would undermine, rather than strengthen, security in the Arctic. She said the move risks emboldening shared adversaries and weakening the alliance’s common values.
“Greenland and Denmark have both been clear: Greenland is not for sale, and its sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected,” Metsola said, adding that no tariff threats would change that reality.
Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s former prime minister and now the EU’s chief diplomat, said China and Russia stand to benefit from divisions among allies. She argued that concerns about Greenland’s security should be addressed within NATO, not through economic pressure.
“Tariffs risk making both Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity,” Kallas said, adding that the dispute should not distract from efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Several European lawmakers signaled that Trump’s announcement could derail final approval of a U.S.-EU trade agreement reached last summer and already partially implemented. The deal still requires ratification by the European Parliament.
Bernd Lange, the Parliament’s veteran international trade committee chair, called the tariff threat “unbelievable” and accused Trump of using trade as a tool of political coercion. He urged the EU to suspend the agreement’s implementation process until Washington withdraws its threats.
Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, said his group supports closer trade ties with the United States but that approval of the deal is not possible under the current circumstances. He said plans to eliminate tariffs on U.S. products should be put on hold.
European Parliament member Siegfried Mureșan also backed delaying the trade deal, arguing that its primary benefit was stability—something Trump’s tariff announcement had now undermined.
National governments echoed those concerns. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said military exercises in Greenland are meant to enhance Arctic security and confirmed that the Netherlands is coordinating closely with the European Commission and partner countries on a response.
The tariff threat also drew pushback from U.S. lawmakers. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, issued a joint statement from Copenhagen, where a bipartisan delegation was meeting with Danish officials.
“At a time when many Americans are already worried about the cost of living, these tariffs would raise prices for families and businesses,” the senators said, urging the administration to abandon threats and pursue diplomacy instead. They emphasized that the countries targeted are among America’s closest NATO allies, with a long history of shared sacrifice and cooperation.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would introduce legislation to block the proposed tariffs before they further damage the U.S. economy and relations with Europe. He criticized Trump’s approach as reckless and warned that targeting allies over Greenland would only worsen economic pressures.
Similar bipartisan efforts to rein in tariffs have previously passed the Senate, which requires only a simple majority. However, even if such a measure were approved again, it would face long odds in the House of Representatives.
Original article
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