New DelhiOn Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized US President Donald Trump in public for the first time, calling Washington's threat to impose tariffs on allies over Greenland "completely wrong" and cautioning that a trade war would be detrimental to all parties. Speaking at a press conference in London, Starmer stated that trade threats cannot dictate sovereignty issues and that the United Kingdom vehemently opposes the idea of applying economic pressure against allies.
Starmer declared, "A trade war is in no one's interest."
The UK supports Denmark's and Greenland's autonomyStarmer reaffirmed Britain's backing of Greenland's and Denmark's "fundamental right" to decide the Arctic island's future independently of outside pressure. Following Trump's comments, Greenland, a semi-autonomous region under NATO ally Denmark, has become the focal point of fresh geopolitical tensions.
According to the prime minister, decisions regarding Greenland's future must be made by its citizens and Denmark, not by strategic pressure or tariff threats.
"Pragmatic, not passive": Starmer establishes a distinct boundaryStarmer emphasized the significance of the UK-US relationship while making it clear that strong ties to Washington do not equate to silence when fundamental values are questioned. He declared, "We are determined to keep the UK-US relationship strong, constructive, and focused on results because it is vital." However, pragmatism does not equate to passivity, and partnership does not equate to giving up on values.
Retaliation has not yet occurred, and communication is still open.Starmer stated that Britain is not currently thinking about retaliatory tariffs in an effort to defuse tensions. "We haven't reached that point yet. Making sure we don't reach that point is my main concern," he stated. He emphasized the need to maintain diplomatic channels open even in the face of sharp disagreements, adding that the UK will continue to work closely with NATO allies, European partners, and the United States.
What set off the altercation?Following Trump's announcement on Saturday that the US would impose a 10% import tax on goods from eight European nations, including the UK, starting in February, London responded sharply. The action was justified as payback for European resistance to US rule over Greenland.
Additionally, Trump referred to the recent deployment of a few European soldiers to Greenland as a challenge to US strategic interests. He has maintained that the Arctic island is essential to the planned "Golden Dome" missile defense system and asserted that China and Russia might try to take over the region.