Panicking EU leaders to hold emergency Greenland summit after Trump’s trade war threat: Live updates

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday that ‘everyone should be taking the president at his word,’ regarding his comments on Greenland.

Pictured: Scott Bessent, US Secretary of the Treasury, talks to media representatives at the USA House on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026

In a telephone interview with NBC News, the US President declined to comment if he would rule out taking over Greenland by force.

Trump also expressed frustration with European leaders focusing on Greenland, saying: ‘Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine, because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them. That’s what Europe should focus on – not Greenland.’

Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt are currently in discussions with the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, in Brussels.

Later, the ministers are expected to meet with NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas with Greenlandic foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen in Brussels

Dutch finance minister Eelco Heinen has described US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland as ‘unnecessary and irresponsible’.

‘It’s unnecessary because we are part of the same alliance. We make the same threat analyses. We are willing to work together. And it’s irresponsible because it’s going to hurt the world’s economy, and it’s not in the benefit of both continents,’ he said.

‘So most important is that we de-escalate.’

He declined to say if the EU was willing and prepared to deploy its ‘Anti-Coercion Instrument’ (ACI), which could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity or restrict trade in services, in which the US has a surplus with the bloc, including in digital services.

‘I am not going to talk in terms of threats, but all the options, of course, are on the table, but I want to have a constructive dialogue,’ he said.

‘We need to de-escalate and take it from there.’

Ireland’s deputy prime minister and finance minister Simon Harris has called for ‘cool heads’ to prevail in talks on the EU’s reaction to Trump’s tariff threats.

He emphasised that Europe was ‘not seeking confrontation with anybody,’ but it’s the US President who ‘decided to threaten the bloc with additional tariffs, ones that have a very significant destabilising effect’.

‘The destabilising effect could potentially be enormous,’ he warned.

He said that ‘we want to have dialogue in a cool and calm way’, although he added that Europe was ready to ‘respond accordingly, should that be required’.

Meanwhile in France, President Emmanuel Macron is holding an urgent defence council meeting today about Greenland, Syria and Iran, according to his office.

The full message the Norwegian Prime Minister sent to Donald Trump which sparked the President’s outburst about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize has been revealed.

On Sunday, following Trump’s announcement that he would ​impose new ‍tariffs ​on EU countries if they stood in his way to take over Greenland, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wrote a letter to the US President.

A day before, Trump had announced that a 10 per cent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25 per cent.

‘Dear Mr president, dear Donald – on the contact across the Atlantic – on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine – and your tariff announcement yesterday,’ the letter said.

‘You know our position on these issues. But we believe we should all work to take this down and de-escalate – so much is happening around us where we need to stand together.

‘We are proposing a call with you later today – with both of us or separately – give us a hint of what you prefer! Best – Alex and Jonas,’ the message concluded.

‘Alex’ is short for Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland.

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Danish officials are set to skip the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as disputes over US President Donald Trump’s bid to seize Greenland have intensified.

Corporate chiefs and government leaders are gathering for the conference, which will see Trump dominate proceedings with talks on Greenland, Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The US leader has been insistent on seizing Greenland and has not ruled out taking it by force.

Trump has also warned the US may pull out of NATO if America’s allies don’t agree to the acquisition of Greenland.

In a statement to Bloomberg, the forum said: ‘We can confirm that the Danish government will not be represented in Davos this week.’

‘Danish government representatives were invited this year, and any decisions on attendance are a matter for the government concerned,’ it added.

Flags flutter during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, in Davos, Switzerland, January 19, 2026

Greenland’s Prime Minister said on Monday: ‘We will not be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, respect, and international law.’

Writing in a Facebook post, the leader added that Trump’s tariffs do not change the territory’s priorities, adding: ‘We are determined to move forward with honest dialogue, mutual respect and respect for international human rights.’

Pictured: Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen takes part in a demonstration that gathered almost a third of the city population to protest against the US President’s plans to take Greenland, on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland

A large number of Danish soldiers are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, Danish news outlet TV2 reports.

Previously, the head of the Arctic Command, Soren Andersen, said that approximately 100 Danish soldiers had already arrived in Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, where they will begin ‘Arctic Endurance’ training amid Trump’s latest comments on Greenland.

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Danish armed forces during a practice drill in September 2025

EU ‌leaders will convene in Brussels on Thursday ​for an ​emergency summit ​following Trump’s threats to ​impose new ‍tariffs ​on several EU countries over his demand ‍to ‍acquire Greenland, a European Union spokesperson said ⁠on Monday.

The summit is ⁠planned to start at 6.00pm UK time.

Europe is preparing countermeasures against Trump’s ‘blackmail’ after he threatened tariffs against several countries over their oppositions to his designs on Greenland, Germany’s vice chancellor said Monday.

‘We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,’ said Lars Klingbeil, at a press conference in Berlin alongside French Economy Minister Roland Lescure.

‘Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners.’

On Sunday, Keir Starmer joined European allies warning of a ‘dangerous downward spiral’ in Nato after Trump threatened a trade war over Greenland.

A joint statement from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK said they stood ‘firmly behind’ the ‘principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity’.

‘As members of Nato, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise Arctic Endurance conducted with Allies, responds to this necessity. It poses no threat to anyone,’ the statement said.

‘We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland. Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind.

‘Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.’