Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump that threatening tariffs against Nato allies to secure Greenland is wrong, during a series of emergency diplomatic calls on Sunday. The Prime Minister spoke with the US President, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte as European leaders scrambled to respond to the crisis.
A Downing Street summary of the calls said Mr Starmer reiterated the UK's position on Greenland, stressing that security in the high north is a priority for all Nato allies. He also explicitly stated that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing collective security is wrong. The firm stance places the UK on a potential collision course with the US, which has threatened tariffs on eight European nations, including the UK, from 1 February unless a deal to buy Greenland is reached.
On Monday, Mr Starmer is expected to use an emergency Downing Street press conference to echo that message and align the UK with European opposition. He will not, however, push for reciprocal tariffs or retaliatory measures, with officials hoping his previously warm relationship with President Trump could encourage a White House climbdown. All major UK parties, including Reform UK, have condemned the tariff threat.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, speaking on Sunday, insisted the UK's position on Greenland was non-negotiable. She said the future of Greenland is for its people and the Kingdom of Denmark to determine, adding that Britain would not accept the idea of annexation. She declined to speculate on retaliatory steps, saying the aim was to have serious, private talks rather than “shout and yell”.
The crisis has prompted calls from the Liberal Democrats for an emergency Commons debate and the scrapping of a pharmaceuticals deal with Washington, while some Labour MPs are urging a more overtly Europe-leaning stance. A joint statement from affected countries warned that President Trump's threats “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral”.
