Donald Trump is escalating pressure on Europe over Greenland, claiming the U.S. needs the Arctic island for national security and warning that Russia or China could take it otherwise. He has not ruled out using military force to claim Greenland, which is part of the Danish kingdom.
European allies have pushed back, prompting Trump to threaten tariffs of 10% on countries including Denmark, the UK, France, and Sweden starting February 1, rising to 25% by June if no deal is reached. Europe has warned of retaliatory tariffs. Speaking ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said the U.S. “has to have” Greenland and that there is “no going back.”
Russia has now responded. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Greenland is “not a natural part” of Denmark, calling it a colonial acquisition, while insisting Russia has no intention of interfering or taking control of the island. He added that the U.S. knows Russia has no territorial ambitions in Greenland.
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