Starmer has warned that a trade war would be in “no-one’s interest” after Donald Trump threatened sweeping tariffs against the UK and European allies over opposition to his plans for Greenland…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said a trade war is in “no-one’s interest” after Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the UK and a number of European allies in retaliation for opposition to his plans to take control of Greenland. Speaking from Downing Street, the prime minister sought to strike a careful balance between defending principles around sovereignty and maintaining a close relationship with Washington, warning that escalating economic retaliation would ultimately hurt working people and businesses.
Trump has said he would impose a 10 per cent levy on goods exported to the United States from the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland from 1 February, rising to 25 per cent on 1 June. The threat follows criticism of his repeated assertions that the US should acquire Greenland, a Danish territory, on grounds of global and American security.
Making a speech in Downing Street, Starmer said the “right approach” to the dispute was “through calm discussion” and that the use of tariffs against allies was “not the right way to resolve differences”. He reiterated his belief that decisions about Greenland should rest with the people of Greenland and Denmark, saying the principle “cannot be set aside”, while also vowing to take a “pragmatic” approach that recognises both the economic and military importance of the UK-US relationship.
The prime minister said he did not believe Trump was genuinely considering military action against Greenland. Even so, he stressed the seriousness of the situation, describing it as “very serious” and a “moment for the whole country to pull together”. said Trump’s threat had been “very badly received” in the UK but warned against “performative” or “grandstanding” responses.
“It may make politicians feel good, but it does nothing for working people whose jobs, livelihoods and security rely on the relationships we build across the world,” he said. Defending his decision to pursue a close relationship with the US president, Starmer said it had delivered “hundreds of billions of pounds” of investment into the UK economy.
Asked whether Britain would consider imposing retaliatory tariffs if the US measures came into force, the prime minister said: “We have not got to that stage, my focus is making sure we don’t get to that stage.” European leaders are expected to raise the future of Greenland with Trump this week when he travels to Davos for the World Economic Forum, adding to the diplomatic pressure around the issue.
Divisions have emerged among European leaders over how robustly to respond. French President Emmanuel Macron has hinted that he wants the European Union to impose counter-tariffs, saying the bloc should deploy its “trade bazooka”. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, by contrast, has expressed concern about the mutual cost of a trade war and warned against steps that could damage already fragile economies. Starmer is not currently due to attend Davos but Downing Street said it remained an option as the week progresses.
Over the weekend, a small French military contingent travelled to Greenland as part of what was described as a reconnaissance mission. The deployment also involved Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK. Asked whether Trump had incorrectly interpreted the visit as a hostile act towards the United States, Starmer said it was an issue he had discussed directly with the US president. “Those forces were clearly there to assess and work on the risk from the Russians – there is real clarity, I hope, about that,” he said.
He added that Europe needed “to step up and do more on its own defence and security”. Trump has partly justified his interest in controlling Greenland by arguing that Denmark has not done enough to protect the area from Russian threats. Greenland’s strategic position between North America and the Arctic makes it valuable for early warning systems for missile attacks and for monitoring vessels operating in the region.
The island is also seen as a potential source of rare earth minerals as well as oil and gas, resources that could become more accessible as global warming leads to the melting of the ice sheet that covers much of Greenland. Trump has said the “complete and total purchase” of the Danish territory is essential for US and global security, warning: “If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland.”
Political leaders across the UK have lined up to criticise the tariff threat. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she agreed with the prime minister on the sovereignty of Greenland and described tariff threats as “a terrible idea”. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said tariffs should “not be a bargaining chip in place of reasonable dialogue between partners”. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the government to “get tough on Donald Trump”, saying he had a history of backing down when challenged. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “This is not how you treat your best friends,” adding that Brexit meant the UK was “free to negotiate directly” with the US.
