UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told US President Donald Trump that plans to impose tariffs on Nato allies over Greenland are “wrong”, during a phone call between the two leaders on Friday.
According to a Downing Street summary of the call, Starmer told Trump that “applying tariffs on Nato allies is wrong” as tensions rise over the US president’s proposal to introduce trade penalties linked to Greenland.
Starmer also reiterated the UK’s support for Greenland’s sovereignty, stressing that security in the Arctic remains “a priority for all Nato allies”, amid growing concern across Europe about the implications of the plan.
Trump announced on Thursday that he intends to impose 10% tariffs on eight Nato member states until “such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.
The proposed tariffs would affect Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK, all of which have rejected the idea of Greenland being sold to the US.
In a joint statement, the leaders of the eight countries warned that Trump’s plan risks a “dangerous downward spiral”, cautioning that the move could undermine alliance unity and economic stability.
Protests have also erupted in Greenland and Denmark, where thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets to oppose the US president’s proposal and defend Greenland’s right to self determination.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has long held strategic importance due to its location in the Arctic and its natural resources, an area Nato allies have increasingly prioritised amid rising geopolitical competition.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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