The geopolitical conflict over Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, has reached a new level of escalation. US President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that starting February 1st, he will impose special tariffs of ten percent on all goods from eight European countries. Besides Germany, Denmark, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, and Sweden are affected. According to Trump's announcement, if a 'complete purchase' of Greenland has not been agreed upon by June 1st, the tariffs will rise to 25 percent.
The background for these punitive measures is a European exploratory mission led by Denmark, in which the German Armed Forces also participated with a 15-member team. Trump described the presence of European soldiers as a 'very dangerous situation' for global security. The German Federal Ministry of Defence confirmed the withdrawal of the German soldiers from Nuuk on Sunday. A spokesperson explained that the mission was completed as planned and the results would now be evaluated in Germany. Critical voices, however, interpret the rapid withdrawal as a reaction to the economic pressure from Washington.
The US government's action is meeting with sharp rejection in Europe. The affected states rejected the threats in a joint declaration and emphasized their desire to maintain their 'Souveränität'. French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned a 'trade bazooka' to decisively counter the US punitive tariffs. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also got involved, warning against further escalation while simultaneously presenting her own Arctic strategy. The EU Commission is currently discussing coordinated countermeasures to contain the transatlantic trade conflict.
