Europe is preparing countermeasures against US President Donald Trump's "blackmail" after he threatened tariffs against several countries over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, Germany's vice chancellor has said.
"We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed," said Lars Klingbeil, at a Berlin press conference alongside the French economy and finance minister, Roland Lescure.
"Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners."
Mr Trump vowed on Saturday to hit 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 hit back at the threat in a joint statement at the weekend.
Mr Klingbeil said Europe's response could have three main strands.
First, the current tariff deal with the United States would be put on hold, he said.
Second, European tariffs on imports from the United States, currently suspended until early February, could come into force, said Klingbeil, who is also Germany's finance minister.
And thirdly the EU should consider using its toolbox of instruments that can be deployed to respond to "economic blackmail" against Washington, he added.
Mr Lescure agreed with Mr Klingbeil that Mr Trump's threat amounted to "blackmail".
"Blackmail between allies of 250 years, blackmail between friends, is obviously unacceptable," said the French minister.
"We Europeans must remain united and coordinated in our response and, above all, be prepared to make full use of the instruments" of the European Union, he said.
"We are determined to defend our sovereignty."
Mr Lescure said a meeting of G7 finance ministers would be convened in the coming days to discuss pressing issues, including Greenland. France is the current chair of the grouping, and the United States is a member.
Mr Klingbeil stressed that the "limit has been reached" when it came to the US leader making threats.
"We are constantly experiencing a new confrontation that President Trump is seeking," he said.
Mr Trump last night said that Denmark has not been able to do anything to get the "Russian threat" away from Greenland, and said: "Now it is time, and it will be done!"
"NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that "you have to get Russian threat away from Greenland," Mr Trump said.
"Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it," he wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have insisted the island is not for sale and does not want to be part of the United States.
Danish and other European officials have pointed out that Greenland is already covered by NATO's collective security pact.
EU member states yesterday hinted at deploying their most punitive trade measures against the Trump administration in light of the imposition of tariffs on countries which are opposed to Mr Trump's determination to acquire Greenland.
Denmark 'will not give up' on constructive Greenland dialogue, Danish Foreign Minister says
Following an emergency meeting of EU ambassadors yesterday, diplomats said member states would decide after 1 February whether or not to revive €93bn in retaliatory tariffs against the US.
The measure had been suspended since a framework EU-US trade deal was signed last summer.
Last night European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke to the NATO secretary general, as well as the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the UK, as transatlantic relations continue to sink to their lowest post-war level.
Diplomats said there was no question yet of Europe reaching for its most punitive trade measure, known as the Anti Coercion Instrument, in response to Mr Trump’s stunning imposition of tariffs on eight countries over his desire to own Greenland.
However, calling an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders for Thursday, the president of the European Council António Costa said the EU was ready to defend itself against any form of coercion.
Member states appear anxious to keep the diplomatic track open, while still proclaiming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark are not up for negotiation.
The emphasis will now shift to the World Economic Forum which opens later today in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
Eight EU leaders, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, will be there, as well as Ms von der Leyen and the NATO secretary general Mark Rutte.
There will be a concerted effort to attempt to steer Mr Trump away from a trade war - or even a military attempt on Greenland - ahead of his address to the forum on Wednesday afternoon.
But Mr Trump now has a long track record of soaking up European flattery and ingratiation, only to unleash further hostility and vilification on his supposed allies some time later.
Harris to attend EU ministers meeting on US levy threats
Tánaiste Simon Harris will travel to Brussels for a meeting of EU finance ministers, which is set to be dominated by concerns over Mr Trump's tariff threats.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance said EU officials worked to strike a tariffs deal with the US last year to ensure "certainty and clarity" for the economy.
He added that the latest threats are "a clear breach of that agreement".
Mr Harris said any new tariffs would be damaging to the EU economy, supply chains and open trade, adding such levies must be avoided.
He said: "I intend to raise with my European counterparts the latest economic developments with the US, including those linked to Greenland.
"At a time of heightened global uncertainty, it is vital that we avoid actions that risk further instability.
"The focus must be on working together to protect all of our economies across the EU."
Read more:
Tariff threat risks most serious crisis yet in transatlantic relations
Why Europe has drawn a line in the snow in Greenland
In a statement last night, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said Mr Trump's latest tariff threats and the ongoing US push to take over Greenland must be opposed.
She said Ireland "reiterated its solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland, as well as with the six EU member states that may now face increased tariffs from the United States" during the meeting of EU ambassadors.
"These tariffs are not compatible with the EU-US agreement and they risk undermining the strength of our trans-Atlantic relationship at a time when co-operation matters more than ever," Ms McEntee said.
"I will continue to work closely with our EU partners on the appropriate next steps," she added.
This, she said, "will be a priority in the days ahead".
Ms McEntee welcomed Mr Costa's announcement that he will convene "an extraordinary meeting of the European Council to address these developments".
Additional reporting AFP, Reuters
