By Muhammad Mamman
The European Union has convened emergency talks to address former US president Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs linked to Greenland, prioritising diplomacy while preparing a potential €93 billion retaliation package should negotiations fail.
EU officials said the bloc’s immediate focus is to prevent an escalation that could destabilise transatlantic trade and strain relations with Denmark, which governs Greenland. The discussions, held in Brussels, brought together senior trade and foreign policy officials to assess the political and economic implications of the proposed measures.
According to diplomats familiar with the talks, the European Commission is pursuing a dual-track strategy: intensifying diplomatic engagement with Washington while finalising a list of countermeasures that could be deployed swiftly if tariffs are imposed. The prospective €93 billion package would target a broad range of US goods and services, calibrated to maximise leverage while limiting collateral damage to European consumers and businesses.
Brussels stressed that any response would be proportionate and consistent with World Trade Organization rules. “Our preference is dialogue and de-escalation,” an EU official said, adding that the bloc remains open to constructive engagement to resolve the dispute.
The tariff threat, which references Greenland’s strategic importance and resources, has raised concerns in European capitals about precedent-setting unilateral action and its wider geopolitical ramifications. Danish officials have urged restraint, warning that trade measures tied to territorial or strategic disputes risk undermining international norms.
Business groups on both sides of the Atlantic have also expressed unease, cautioning that renewed tariff battles could disrupt supply chains and dampen investment at a time of fragile global growth.
While no formal decision has been announced, EU sources indicated that preparations for retaliation are advancing in parallel with diplomatic outreach. The coming weeks are expected to be critical as Brussels weighs whether talks can avert a trade confrontation—or whether the bloc will be forced to activate its countermeasures.
