'Russia, China Having A Field Day': EU Warns Trump's Greenland Move Is Testing NATO Unity

Last Updated:January 18, 2026, 13:20 IST

The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said a division among allies -- US and majority EU member countries are part of NATO -- will benefit China and Russia

US President Donald Trump's imposition of a 10% tariff on eight European countries for opposing his plans to control Greenland has created unprecedented tension within the military alliance of NATO. (Image: AFP/File)

Greenland has never fought a war. But its shadow looms large over the mineral-rich Arctic island, which apparently requires American takeover for the purpose of “national security" if US President Donald Trump is to be believed.

Trump’s claims? Russia and China are trying to control Greenland. He, however, has not presented any evidence but his imposition of a 10 percent tariff on eight European countries for opposing his designs on the island has created unprecedented tension within military alliance NATO, of which the US and majority EU members are a part.

Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the US, is one of the countries to be hit with Trump’s tariff and also the country under which Greenland is an autonomous territory. 

Viewing his tariff move as a “dangerous downward spiral", EU leaders stressed that this will “undermine transatlantic relations" while also promising to uphold Europe’s sovereignty. The bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said tariffs will hurt prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, while distracting from the “core task" of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among allies," Kallas said on X. “Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity. If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO."

The EU has convened an emergency meeting of ambassadors from its 27 member countries on Sunday to discuss their response to the tariff threat.

‘THESE COUNTRIES PLAYING VERY DANGEROUS GAME’

Trump has said from February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be subject to a 10-percent tariff on all goods sent to the US.

Making the announcement on social media, he said “these countries are playing a very dangerous game" and he must take these “strong measures" to “protect global peace and security".

“On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question."

He, however, added that he was “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries".

SO, WILL THERE BE WAR?

Denmark, a fellow NATO member, as well as several other European countries have deployed troops in recent days to Greenland.

Responding to the tariff, Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he is surprised by the development as only a few days ago he had attended talks at the White House with US and Greenlandic officials on the Greenland question. These talks, however, had failed to iron out differences.

While European leaders like British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson have denounced the move as “unacceptable" and “completely wrong", they have also vowed not to be intimidated and said they stand in “full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland".

Their statements are strengthened by the ongoing European military exercise in Greenland. France has said it was designed to show the world that it will defend the territory, even as Denmark said the US had been invited to join the drill alongside NATO allies.

“Of course, the US as part of NATO is invited here," Major-General Soren Andersen, the head of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command, told AFP on board a Danish Navy vessel in the port of Greenlandic capital Nuuk.

Andersen, however, stressed the military exercises were “about what’s going on in Ukraine" and noted he had never seen any Russian or Chinese ships near the island. Despite the invitation to the US to join the drills, which have been underway over the past few days, no American soldiers have been spotted among the troops.   

Trump has insisted the US needs strategically-located and mineral-rich Greenland for “national security", and has criticised Denmark for not doing enough to ensure its security against rivals Russia and China. He has pursued that argument, despite Greenland – as part of Denmark – being covered by NATO’s security umbrella.

Even though the European military presence has been relatively discreet, Greenland has received it well with the authorities telling its population that more NATO troops will be coming to town.

“There will be more military flights and ships," Greenland’s deputy prime minister Mute Egede has said.

According to experts, sending a small European contingent to the island is a matter of “strategic signalling" to the US. But Washington appears unfazed.

“I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on January 15.

The US president also appeared to question his country’s core role in NATO over Greenland, while adding that Washington was “talking to" the military alliance about the issue.

“We’re going to see. NATO has been dealing with us on Greenland," Trump told reporters when asked if he will pull the US out of NATO if it does not help it acquire Greenland. “We need Greenland for national security very badly. If we don’t have it, we have a hole in national security, especially when it comes to what we’re doing in terms of the Golden Dome (planned missile defense system)."

BUT, WHAT DOES NATO HAVE TO SAY?

Apparently, not much. Trump’s statements have frustrated Denmark and put unprecedented strain on NATO, an alliance that has been the bedrock of western security since World War II.

European nations, who are members of NATO, have in recent days shown their support for Denmark and Greenland over Trump’s escalating threats, including by sending troops to the strategic territory. This has thrust NATO chief Mark Rutte into an uncomfortable position and his strategy for now: say as little as possible and try to change the subject.

Facing warnings the crisis could tear the 76-year-old military alliance apart, Rutte has sought to keep himself and NATO out of the fray. Instead, he has tried to deflect Trump’s desires by stubbornly focusing on joint efforts to boost Arctic security, dodged tricky questions and even kept on praising the US leader.

“My role as secretary general, I’m very clear – I never ever comment when there are discussions within the alliance," Rutte, billed as “Trump-whisperer", has said.

He has insisted his job is to ensure NATO is doing enough to protect the Arctic – a key justification in Trump’s rationale for wanting Greenland.

“I believe there is a bigger issue at stake here, and that is the defence of the high north, the defence of the Arctic area," he said.

Experts said his low-key approach is a way to keep the Americans happy and, in turn, keep the military alliance together. “It’s difficult for Rutte to take the lead here as he has to keep the alliance together and keep the Americans onboard," said Jamie Shea, a former senior NATO official now with Chatham House think tank. “He can’t take the European side against Washington."

With a war raging in Ukraine and Washington finally drawing closer to Kyiv’s position, NATO’s position seems fragile. But if Trump does eventually press ahead with his threats against Greenland, possibly even resorting to force, the alliance may not have an option but to intervene more forcefully, as per experts.

Despite bold statements from European leaders, pushing back at Trump is easier said than done. “Telling Trump ‘You can’t do that,’ is not language that he understands," an EU diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. “We must appease Trump, not poke the beast."

Europe’s hands are tied. While it is surging defence spending to break its security reliance on the US, it still needs Washington help to end the Ukraine war and deter the looming Russian threat to its east.

DO RUSSIA AND CHINA REALLY POSE A THREAT?

Russia and China have increased their security presence in the Arctic, but have not made any claims over Greenland’s sovereignty.

While Russia has expressly said it poses no threat to Greenland, there has been no such statement of denial from China. A few days ago, Russia dismissed as a “myth" it posed a danger after NATO countries announced troop deployments on the island following “threats" from Moscow and Beijing.

European countries began deploying troops on the island on January 15, shortly after the White House talks between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials failed.

Part of Danish territory “has been included in Washington’s arbitrarily defined sphere of US interests", Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “Against this backdrop, the myth of some kind of Russian threat, rigorously promoted by Denmark and other members of the European Union and NATO for many years, is especially hypocritical."

Germany’s defence ministry has said the reconnaissance mission to Greenland by several European NATO members aims “to explore options for ensuring security in light of Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic". But it made no mention of Trump’s repeated claims to Greenland.

It still, however, echoed the US position that the main regional threat is posed by Russia and China. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius was quoted as saying: “Russia and China are increasingly using the Arctic for military purposes, thereby jeopardising the freedom of transport, communication and trade. NATO will not allow this and will continue to uphold the rules-based international order. It is crucial for me that we coordinate very closely within NATO, particularly with our US partners, during the joint exploration in Greenland under Danish leadership."

(With agency inputs)

News world ' Security' Trumps NATO? EU Says Russia, China Having 'Field Day' Over Greenland Turmoil

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