Greenland Dispute Strains US–EU Ties
French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a veiled attack on former U.S. President Donald Trump amid escalating tensions over U.S. ambitions in the Arctic territory of Greenland, warning that global politics is shifting toward a “world without rules.”
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Macron criticized Trump’s renewed tariff threats and alleged attempts to “subordinate Europe,” declaring that such measures “don’t make sense between allies.”
Macron Urges Europe to Prepare ‘Trade Bazooka’
Macron urged European leaders to be ready to deploy the EU’s anti-coercion mechanism — dubbed the “trade bazooka” — a tool designed to retaliate against political or economic pressure from foreign states. The mechanism could impose up to £81 billion in tariffs on the United States if enacted.
“It’s a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest,” Macron said. “The anti-coercion mechanism is powerful, and we should not hesitate to use it.”
Greenland Becomes Flashpoint for NATO Tensions
The dispute comes as Trump has revived allegations that Denmark cannot defend Greenland — a mineral-rich Arctic territory — and hinted that NATO states would not resist a U.S. acquisition.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said military force against the island was unlikely but “not impossible,” signaling rising unease in Nuuk.
EU leaders are now preparing an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday as NATO allies scramble to contain the fallout.
Von der Leyen: Europe Needs ‘Independence’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned Trump’s tariff threats in Davos, calling them “unacceptable” and arguing that Europe must build a stronger geopolitical identity.
She said a “seismic change” in global power had created an opening for a “new form of European independence.”
Trump Targets European Wine and Greenland Territory
Tensions intensified further after Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne, reportedly in retaliation for Macron refusing to join Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” initiative.
Screenshots posted on Trump’s Truth Social account revealed private messages from Macron expressing confusion over the Greenland plans and offering to convene a G7 meeting in Paris.
Trump also circulated AI-generated imagery showing U.S. flags over Canada, Venezuela, and Greenland, as well as a mock-up of himself planting a U.S. flag on the island.
Russia Weighs In, UK Drawn Into Dispute
The geopolitical storm widened as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Greenland was “not a natural part of Denmark,” echoing Moscow’s own territorial rhetoric in Europe.
Trump also attacked the United Kingdom over plans to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the move “GREAT STUPIDITY” and linking it to his argument for U.S. acquisition of Greenland.
