'National Security' Trumps NATO? EU Says Russia, China Having 'Field Day' Over Greenland Turmoil

Last Updated:January 18, 2026, 12:38 IST

The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said a division among allies -- US and majority EU member countries are part of NATO -- will benefit China and Russia

US President Donald Trump's imposition of a 10% tariff on eight European countries for opposing his plans to control Greenland has created unprecedented tension within the military alliance of NATO. (Image: AFP/File)

Greenland has never fought a war. But its shadow looms large over the mineral-rich Arctic island, which apparently requires American takeover for the purpose of “national security" if US President Donald Trump is to be believed.

Trump’s claims? Russia and China are trying to control Greenland. He, however, has not presented any evidence but his imposition of a 10 percent tariff on eight European countries for opposing his designs on the island has created unprecedented tension within military alliance NATO, of which the US and majority EU members are a part.

Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the US, is one of the countries to be hit with Trump’s tariff and also the country under which Greenland is an autonomous territory. 

Viewing his tariff move as a “dangerous downward spiral", EU leaders stressed that this will “undermine transatlantic relations" while also promising to uphold Europe’s sovereignty. The bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said tariffs will hurt prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, while distracting from the “core task" of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among allies," Kallas said on X. “Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity. If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO."

The EU has convened a meeting of ambassadors from its 27 member countries on Sunday for an emergency meeting to discuss their response to the tariff threat.

‘THESE COUNTRIES PLAYING VERY DANGEROUS GAME’

Trump has said from February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be subject to a 10-percent tariff on all goods sent to the US.

Making the announcement on social media, he said “these countries are playing a very dangerous game" and he must take these “strong measures" to “protect global peace and security".

“On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question."

He, however, added that he was “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries".

SO, WILL THERE BE WAR?

Denmark, a fellow NATO member, as well as several other European countries have deployed troops in recent days to Greenland.

Responding to the tariff, Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he is surprised by the development as only a few days ago he had attended talks at the White House with US and Greenlandic officials on the Greenland question. These talks, however, had failed to iron out differences.

While European leaders like British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson have denounced the move as “unacceptable" and “completely wrong", they have also vowed not to be intimidated and said they stand in “full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland".

Their statements are strengthened by the ongoing European military exercise in Greenland. France has said it was designed to show the world that it will defend the territory, even as Denmark said the US had been invited to join the drill alongside NATO allies.

“Of course, the US as part of NATO is invited here," Major-General Soren Andersen, the head of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, told AFP on board a Danish Navy vessel in the port of Greenlandic capital Nuuk.

Andersen, however, stressed the military exercises were “about what’s going on in Ukraine" and noted he had never seen any Russian or Chinese ships near the island. Despite the invitation to the US to join the drills, which have been underway over the past few days, no American soldiers have been spotted among the troops.   

Trump has insisted the US needs strategically-located and mineral-rich Greenland for “national security", and has criticised Denmark for not doing enough to ensure its security against rivals Russia and China. He has pursued that argument, despite Greenland – as part of Denmark – being covered by NATO’s security umbrella.

Even though the European military presence has been relatively discreet, Greenland has received it well with the authorities telling its population that more NATO troops will be coming to town.

“There will be more military flights and ships," Greenland’s deputy prime minister Mute Egede has said.

(With agency inputs)

News world ' Security' Trumps NATO? EU Says Russia, China Having 'Field Day' Over Greenland Turmoil

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