US President Donald Trump's announcement that he will impose duties of up to 100 percent on products from EU countries has caused a diplomatic crisis. The reason for this threat is Trump's desire to gain control over Greenland, which Denmark and the EU reject. In reaction to the heightened rhetoric, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned against an escalation between Europe and the US that could harm both sides.
Meloni stressed the need to maintain dialogue to avoid a trade conflict that would endanger global stability. Meanwhile, EU member states in Brussels are preparing a common strategy. Critics within the EU describe the US administration's actions as blackmail. German politicians, including Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katharina Dröge, demanded a strong and unified response from the European Union to withstand the economic pressure.
In Germany, Washington's tactics were also sharply criticized by regional politicians like the Thuringian Minister of Economic Affairs, who compared the style of threats to scenes from a bad Western. The concern is growing that the transatlantic relations could be permanently damaged by linking territorial demands with trade policy. The upcoming talks in Brussels are considered decisive for the future defense and economic policy of the European alliance.
