Over the course of Sunday, January 18th, eight European states criticised the possible use of American tariffs to secure Washington’s influence over the Arctic island of Greenland.
Notably. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly criticised Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States could impose tariffs on countries that do not support Washington’s plans for Greenland. The Italian prime minister said such measures would be “a step in the wrong direction” and risk undermining cooperation between Europe and the United States.
Responding to a journalist’s question, ‘Trump whisperer’ Meloni said she had already spoken to the U.S. president and made it clear that imposing new tariffs or applying economic pressure on allies would be a mistake. She stressed that the future of Greenland can only be decided by Denmark and the Greenlandic people, and that the issue cannot be resolved through trade measures.
Trump had earlier suggested introducing tariffs of 10% from February, rising to as much as 25% by the summer, on European countries opposing U.S. strategic plans for Greenland. The remarks triggered strong reactions across Europe, prompting European Union leaders to call Sunday’s urgent meeting to discuss possible responses.
Meloni’s intervention carries particular weight as Italy is one of Washington’s key European partners. Her criticism was echoed by other European leaders, with some of the European Union’s 27 member states also condemning Trump’s tariff threat in a joint statement.
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