Hands off Greenland: France signals united Europe against US tariffs
Paris (The Uttam Hindu): French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly objected to the US tariff threats regarding Greenland. Macron categorically stated that tariff threats are unacceptable. He warned that if these threats prove true, European countries will respond in a united and coordinated manner.
President Emmanuel Macron wrote on the social media platform X, "France is committed to the sovereignty and independence of nations in Europe and elsewhere in the world. This is what guides our decisions. This is the basis of our commitment to the United Nations and its Charter. On this basis, we support Ukraine and will continue to do so. We have built a coalition of countries committed to a strong and lasting peace, based on these principles and to safeguard our security. On this basis, we decided to participate in the exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland. We take full responsibility for this decision, as the security of the Arctic region and the external borders of our Europe are at stake."
"When we face the circumstances we face, no amount of threats or pressure will sway us. Not in Ukraine, not in Greenland, not anywhere else in the world," Emmanuel Macron further wrote.
"Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. If they are implemented, European countries will respond in a united and coordinated manner. We will ensure that European sovereignty is maintained. It is in this spirit that I will engage with my European partners," the French president wrote in his post.
Macron's comments came in response to US President Donald Trump's announcement on Saturday that the US would impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland, including Greenland, from February 1 and increase it to 25 percent from the beginning of June.
Greenland is the world's largest island and a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, where defense and foreign policy are controlled by Copenhagen. The US also has a military base on the island. Since returning to power in 2025, Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to acquire Greenland.