In Denmark and Greenland, thousands took to the streets to send a clear message to Donald Trump: hands off the ice island. A burst of pride, after weeks of threats. ‘Make America Go Away’ – a revisitation of that Make America Great Again which has become the Maga brand – became one of the favorite slogans of the demonstrators, who met at Copenhagen City Hall and then marched to the American Embassy.
Too bad Trump has no intention of giving up. On the contrary. On his social network, Truth, he announced 10% duties starting from February 1st against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland and Finland – i.e. the countries that dared to send contingents to the island – until “an agreement is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland”.
Italy is not among the countries targeted: although the government is among the signatories of the declaration issued in support of Danish sovereignty, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had clarified from Tokyo that Rome would only act within NATO. The US president also threatened that from 1 June 2026 the duties on the 8 European countries “will rise to 25%” if an agreement is not found. “They have brought a level of risk into play that is not sustainable,” Trump thundered.
On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte plans to receive the Danish Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Foreign Minister of Greenland, Vivian Motzfeldt, to take stock. The Alliance is in a great impasse and the hypothesis of an Allied security operation in the Arctic – and therefore in Greenland – along the lines of what happened in Eastern Europe, with Sentinella Est, and in the Baltic, with Sentinella Baltica, is defined as “premature”.
“What has been written so far goes far beyond the current state of affairs,” says a source with direct knowledge of the dossier. Those, in fact, are enhanced security operations that do not need a formal passage to the Atlantic Council, since the powers are already in the hands of the Supreme Commander (Saceur), US General Alexus Grynkewich. However, he is also the Commander of the US military in Europe. It is therefore very unlikely that the man chosen by Trump to lead the NATO forces will move against the commander in chief. A circumstance that is further strengthened after the last thrust. Which however expressly speaks of “purchase” and not military action.
The official line traced by Rutte – “NATO is actively evaluating how to further improve our security in the Arctic” – is, however, becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, spoke from Paraguay, where the signing of the EU-Mercosur agreement took place, announcing a coordination initiative for a joint response of the 27. “The EU – he declared – will always be very firm in the defense of international law, everywhere, and even more so in its territory”. Germany, “in close contact with European partners”, announced “appropriate responses at the right time”, while Sweden warned that it “will not be intimidated”.
In short, the crisis is worsening. “The objective is to send a clear and unified signal of respect for democracy and fundamental human rights,” declared on its website Uagut, an association of Greenlanders in Denmark, among the organizers of the protest which also took place in Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense and in the Greenlandic capital Nuuk, where the prime minister of the autonomous territory, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also took to the streets.
A delegation of US legislators visited Copenhagen, meeting with key Danish and Greenlandic politicians and businessmen to show solidarity with Danish and European concerns. Democratic Senator Chris Coons insisted that “there is no threat” to security that justifies the Trump administration’s position. “There are legitimate reasons to explore ways to better invest in Arctic security overall, both in the American Arctic and in our NATO partners and allies,” Coons said, espousing the vision of European allies. Trump and his ilk, obviously, don’t think so.
«Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. They are essential for Europe and the international community as a whole. Customs duties would undermine transatlantic relations and risk triggering a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated and committed to defending its sovereignty” declare Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen in a joint note.
“We have consistently underlined our shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, including through NATO. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise, conducted with allies, responds to the need to strengthen security in the Arctic and does not pose a threat to anyone. The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Dialogue remains essential and we are committed to continuing the process started last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States.”
Meanwhile, the ambassadors of the 27 countries of the European Union will gather tomorrow for an emergency meeting after Trump’s announcement that he promised a wave of increasing tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to purchase Greenland. Reuters writes this on its website, specifying that Cyprus, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU, announced this evening that it has called the meeting for tomorrow. EU diplomats said the start was scheduled for 5pm.
And, finally, after the president of the EPP group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, Iratxe García Pérez, leader of the S&D, and Valérie Hayer, president of the centrist Renew, also ask for the suspension of the EU-US agreement on tariffs. “Renew Europe cannot vote on the Turnberry trade agreement and the activation of the anti-coercion instrument should be explicitly taken into consideration,” says Hayer. “We must act now: suspend negotiations on the EU-US trade agreement and activate the anti-coercion instrument,” echoes Pérez.