European countries have strongly opposed US President Donald Trump's decision to increase tariffs. Trump announced on Saturday that he would raise tariffs by 10 percent on goods coming from eight European countries that have supported Greenland, starting February 1. He also warned that the tariffs could be increased to 25 percent.

Trump has increased customs duties on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, countries that support Greenland's autonomy. French President Emmanuel Macron has responded that the decision to increase customs duties is unacceptable. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also opposed it. 

Dutch Foreign Minister David Waal Weil has accused Trump of trying to 'blackmail'. 'What he is doing is blackmail and it is not necessary. It does not help the NATO alliance and Greenland,' Dutch Foreign Minister Waal Weil said in an interview with Dutch television.

Similarly, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will face problems if the US takes over Greenland. 'If the US intervenes in Greenland, Putin will be the happiest man on earth. Because it would legitimize his attempt to invade Ukraine,” Sanchez said in an interview with a local newspaper. “If the US uses force, NATO will be damaged, Putin will be doubly happy.” 

US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the Democrats would not allow Trump’s decision to increase tariffs by 10 percent to pass the Senate. “Our economy is already paying the price for Trump’s stupid tariffs, and he is making things worse,” Schumer said. “He is doubling down on his stupidity by imposing tariffs on our closest allies.”

He said Senate Democrats would introduce a bill to block these tariffs. “This step is necessary before further damage is done to the US economy and our European allies,” he said. Trump announced the tariffs on Saturday, saying that world peace was at risk. He said the tariffs would remain in place until the Greenland purchase is completed. 

Huge demonstration in Greenland 

Greenland held its largest demonstration to date on Saturday. Greenlanders gathered in the capital Nuuk, led by Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens Fredrik Nielsen, to protest US President Donald Trump's policy of annexing Greenland. Euronews quoted local officials as saying that about a quarter of Greenland's total population participated in the demonstration. Greenland has a population of about 56,000.

The protesters carried placards reading 'Greenland is not for sale' along with the national flag. The protesters chanted slogans as far as the US consulate in the capital Nuuk. Greenland MP Tilly Martinusen expressed hope that the Trump administration would back down from its multi-party plan. 'Initially, they presented themselves as our friends and fellow travelers. They were claiming to make Greenland better than Denmark,’ he said, ‘now they are warning us.’

Greenland in the Arctic region has been an integral part of Denmark since 1721. Initially a colony, Greenland was integrated into Denmark in 1814. In 1979, it gained self-government through a referendum, remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Greenland Home Rule Act of 2009 granted Greenland the right to self-determination. Greenland currently receives a large portion of its budget from Denmark. Denmark’s 2026 budget has allocated $253 million for the development of Greenland’s physical infrastructure.

A large demonstration in Denmark on Saturday was held in support of Greenland. A large number of people also participated in this demonstration in Copenhagen. It was organized in collaboration with various organizations, including Action Aid Denmark. 

Americans themselves are not happy with the decision to annex Greenland to the United States. A recent poll by Reuters and IPSOS showed that only 17 percent of Americans agree with Trump's plan to annex Greenland. Trump, however, responded that the poll was wrong. 

Greenland's strategic importance

Greenland has been an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark for the past 300 years. However, it is very far from the mainland of Denmark. Surrounded by 80 percent of the Arctic Ocean and about 20 percent of the North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland is spread over 2.166 million square kilometers. 

80 to 85 percent of the land is covered by ice, and only 56 thousand people live in this  region. But this region is considered very important strategically. Russia, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States are other Arctic nations. 

Russia occupies about 53 percent of the total coastal area of ​​the Arctic Ocean. According to a 2010 report, 2 million of the 4 million people living in the Arctic live in Russian territory. Arctic policy has been an important part of Russian foreign policy. Russia has a large military presence around Greenland. Russia is active in various fields, including mining and infrastructure construction. In recent years, China has increased its presence in the Arctic region by cooperating with Greenland and Russia. China claims to be the ‘country closest to the Arctic’. 

Global warming has further increased Greenland’s strategic importance. As the Arctic Ocean ice melts, Greenland will develop as a maritime hub connecting Asia, Europe, and North America. Keeping this potential in mind, China recently added the ‘Polar Silk Road’ concept to its BRE project. Which means trade through the Arctic Ocean.

As land and sea ice melt, Greenland's mineral and hydrocarbon reserves are becoming more accessible and accessible, which has attracted many countries to the region. 

US President Donald Trump has claimed Greenland as a security concern for his country. He has said that he will take the island diplomatically if possible, and if not by force if necessary. He has also claimed that China and Russia could seize the island if the US does not intervene.