BRUSSELS — After three years spent attempting to discourage Russia from destroying Ukraine, European Union leaders grappled on Monday with how to reply to a significant ally who seems decided to begin a commerce conflict and even seize a part of their territory.
It might “be a merciless paradox if, throughout the time of this direct Russian risk and Chinese language growth,” the EU and america would possibly find yourself in a “battle amongst allies,” stated Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose nation at the moment holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
Since taking workplace final month, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on EU imports and refused to rule out navy drive to take management of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.
Trump has additionally mystified Europeans by displaying little signal of how he intends to finish the conflict in Ukraine inside six months as promised, not to mention in a day, as he boasted whereas campaigning final yr.
“We now have to do every thing to keep away from this completely pointless and silly tariff conflict or commerce conflict,” the Polish prime minister informed reporters in Brussels, the place EU leaders met for talks on boosting and enhancing navy spending and ramping up Europe’s protection trade.
Tusk stated Trump’s threats quantity to “a severe check” of European unity, and “in a really unusual context, as a result of it’s the primary time the place now we have such an issue amongst allies.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stated the EU is “an influence that stands its floor” and that if hit with tariffs, the 27-nation bloc “must make itself revered.” He stated Trump’s threats are “pushing Europeans to be extra united, extra lively in addressing their collective safety challenges.”
Trump slapped tariffs on European metal and aluminum throughout his first time period, and EU leaders have already been in touch with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau since Canada imposed retaliatory duties on U.S. items in response to a 25% tariff levied by Trump. The U.S. president in a while Monday agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff risk as America’s two largest buying and selling companions took steps to appease his issues about border safety and drug trafficking.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen underlined that ties between the bloc and america are a part of “our most consequential relationship. It’s basic to selling peace, safety and prosperity.”
However she warned that “there are clearly new challenges and rising uncertainty” and the EU stands able to defend itself. “When focused unfairly or arbitrarily, the European Union will reply firmly,” von der Leyen informed reporters after the assembly.
In the meantime, Denmark’s prime minister once more insisted on Monday that Greenland is not on the market and known as for a sturdy response from the EU ought to U.S. Trump press forward together with his risk to take management of the island.
“I’ll by no means help the thought of preventing allies. However in fact, if the U.S. places powerful phrases on Europe, we want a collective and strong response,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen informed reporters.
Final month, Trump left open the likelihood that the American navy is perhaps used to safe Greenland, in addition to the Panama Canal. “We’d like Greenland for nationwide safety functions,” he stated.
Frederiksen stated she has “nice help” from her EU companions on the actual fact “that everyone has to respect the sovereignty of all nationwide states on the planet, and that Greenland is as we speak part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It’s a part of our territory and it’s not on the market.”
European Council President Antonio Costa, noting that the EU has stood beside Ukraine in protection of its borders, stated of Greenland: “In fact, we are going to stand additionally for these ideas, all of the extra so if the territorial integrity of a member state of the European Union is questioned.”
Frederiksen acknowledged U.S. issues about safety within the Arctic Area, the place Russia and China have been more and more lively.
“I completely agree with the People that the Excessive North, that the Arctic area is changing into an increasing number of essential once we are speaking about protection and safety and deterrence,” Frederiksen stated, including that the U.S. and Denmark may have “stronger footprints” in Greenland, in safety phrases.
“They’re already there they usually can have extra prospects,” she stated, underlining that Denmark itself also can “scale up” its safety presence. “If that is about securing our a part of the world, we will discover a manner ahead,” Frederiksen stated.
Final week, her authorities introduced a roughly 14.6 billion kroner (practically $2 billion) settlement with events together with the governments of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands to “enhance capabilities for surveillance and sustaining sovereignty within the area.”
It might embody three new Arctic naval vessels, two extra long-range surveillance drones and satellite tv for pc capability, the Danish Protection Ministry stated.