During a press briefing in London on Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer voiced strong opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs imposed on imports from eight European countries, including the United Kingdom, highlighting the move as "completely wrong." The tariffs, which Trump stated would begin in February at a rate of 10%, were put forward as a direct consequence of these nations' resistance to U.S. control over Greenland. This situation poses a potentially severe test to established alliances between the United States and its European partners.
Greenland holds a unique status as a semiautonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member. Trump's rationale for the tariffs centers on the recent deployment of symbolic troop contingents from these European countries to Greenland, a deployment he argues is critical for safeguarding the U.S. "Golden Dome" missile defense system. Furthermore, he has expressed concerns regarding strategic competition with Russia and China over the island.
Starmer, reflecting a position that underscores respect for sovereignty, affirmed the United Kingdom’s support for Greenland and Denmark’s "fundamental right" to determine the future direction and governance of the Arctic territory. While acknowledging the gravity of the tariffs, he underlined the UK's ongoing commitment to maintaining a robust and productive U.K.-U.S. partnership. He clarified that this commitment involves recognizing and engaging with differences rather than ignoring them.
Addressing how the UK plans to navigate these tensions, Starmer indicated that "being pragmatic does not mean being passive and partnership does not mean abandoning principles." In this spirit, he pledged that Britain will continue collaborative efforts with its European partners, NATO allies, and the United States, with an emphasis on keeping channels of communication open.
Regarding economic retaliation, the Prime Minister remarked that the UK currently has no intention to introduce reciprocal tariffs and aims to avoid escalating the situation to that level altogether. "We have not got to that stage. My focus is on making sure we don’t get to that stage," Starmer asserted.