Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump that threatening tariffs against Nato allies to secure Greenland is wrong, during a phone call on Sunday. The UK prime minister also spoke to Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.
A Downing Street summary said Starmer reiterated that security in the high north is a priority for all Nato allies. He added that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing collective security is wrong.
Trump has threatened 10% tariffs from 1 February on the UK, France and six other European nations, rising to 25% by June unless a deal to buy Greenland is reached. A joint statement by the affected countries said the threats undermine transatlantic relations.
Starmer will make an emergency statement on Monday to express disappointment. He is not expected to call for retaliatory tariffs but will stress the importance of UK-US ties.
Lisa Nandy, culture secretary, said the UK’s position on Greenland is non-negotiable and that the future of Greenland is for its people and Denmark to determine.
