Our View: EU cannot continue to pander to Trump
President Donald Trump has never made a secret of his contempt for the EU and his Western allies. And now, with his plan to take over Greenland, he threatens to destroy Nato – the military alliance which has served the West for close to 80 years – by attacking one of its members. Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark that has been a member of Nato ever since it was established in 1949, to defend Western democracies.
Denmark is not the only Nato member-state that Trump has targeted. Even before his second term had started, he spoke of taking over Canada and turning it into the 51st State. He did not follow through with this, but European countries are taking his plans for Greenland very seriously, bracing themselves for a trade war with the US. He has threatened to impose 10 per cent tariffs on European countries that oppose his annexation plan, expecting them, instead, to applaud when he seizes the territory of a Nato ally on a whim.
President Trump maintains he must take over Greenland because it is surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships, a claim that is blatantly incorrect. Marine shipping data does not support this claim, which the Danish and the Swedish governments have said is inaccurate. If Trump’s concern is for Greenland not to come under the control of Russia or China, he could make arrangements with Denmark and Greenland’s governments and for a greater US military presence on the island. Neither would object to such an arrangement with a Nato ally, but Trump has refused to even discuss this possibility, preferring military action and a trade war.
The EU, which accused Trump of blackmail over the tariffs threat, will discuss what action to take at an emergency summit of EU leaders on Thursday. Media reports indicate that it was preparing retaliatory tariffs against US exports to member states, amounting to close to €100 billion. The US tariff of 10 per cent is set to be imposed on February 1 and increase to 25 per cent on June 1 if Trump has no deal for Greenland by then.
The EU has no other choice than to take a stand against Trump’s aggression. It has showed unjustified weakness in its dealings with Trump ever since he returned to office, continuously giving in to him in the belief that this was the way to continue EU-US cooperation and safeguard Nato. It was a mistaken calculation as the US president saw this weakness as an opportunity to do as he pleased, seeking only the applause of the Europeans in exchange. Now, he is prepared to destroy Nato, which cannot possibly survive an attack of one member on another. The main reason of its existence as an alliance would have been destroyed.
On Thursday, EU leaders have to consider retaliatory measures. The Union cannot carry on pandering to a US president hell-bent on destroying the West and Nato, because (as he told the prime minister of Norway in a letter) he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.