UK position on Greenland non-negotiable, Nandy says, amid Trump threat
The UK needs to have an “adult debate” with the US after Donald Trump threatened to ramp up tariffs until a deal is reached for it to buy Greenland, the Culture Secretary has said.
But the Government’s position on the future of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, is “non-negotiable”, Lisa Nandy has said.
The US president said on Saturday that the UK will be charged a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark.
He said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, and that they had “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described the move as “completely wrong” and said he would be “pursuing this directly” with the US administration.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he would not bow to “intimidation” and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said “we will not let ourselves be blackmailed”.
Although Washington has been ratcheting up pressure over its plans for Greenland, US reports suggest the countries were given no notice of what was coming.
Ms Nandy said Sir Keir would speak to Mr Trump at the “earliest opportunity” but could not say if that would be at Davos in the coming week.
She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Often, with this particular US administration, the president will express a very strong view. He will then encourage a dialogue.
“He welcomes difference of opinion, and we will never shy away from standing up for what we believe is right, or asserting British interests. And what often happens is a negotiation.”
But she rejected the possibility that Mr Trump would “chicken out” and back away from the threat.
“I don’t think he’ll chicken out. I think this is actually a really serious issue, and I think it deserves a far more adult debate than us threatening the United States and the United States threatening us.”
She said: “The one thing that we won’t do is compromise on our position, which is that the future of Greenland is a matter for the people of Greenland and the people of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“That is non-negotiable. That is the starting point for the conversation.”
Earlier this week, the UK confirmed it had sent a military officer to Greenlandas Denmark stepped up its military presence in the Arctic and High North.
Downing Street said they were sent at Denmark’s request to join a reconnaissance group ahead of a planned Arctic endurance exercise, but denied it amounted to a “deployment”.
Mr Trump said the countries were playing a “very dangerous game”, in his Truth Social post announcing the tariffs.
Mr Trump said the US was “immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades”.
He said it was “time for Denmark to give back”, adding: “China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it.”
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa said the Danish exercise was pre-coordinated and “poses no threat to anyone”.
The EU leaders warned tariffs would risk a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic relations.
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Trump has a point of course about China and Russia. But he has gone about this entirely the wrong way. He should have quietly negotiated behind the scenes and accepted unlimited ability to station military bases in the country possibly with access to resources as well.
“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it.”
That’s the whole point of being a member of NATO as both Denmark and Greenland are. Article 5 is there for a reason.
“an armed attack against one NATO member shall be considered an attack against them all”.
If Trump claims that Russia as a threat then why is he so reluctant to help Ukraine?
A purchase is very different to a land grab. He should put a generous offer in writing and let the people of Greenland vote on it.
It does not work like that. Greenland is a constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark, just like Wales is a constituent country within the United Kingdom. They cannot be bought or unilaterally decide to join another state. Sovereignty rests with Denmark, and any change in status require’s their consent under international law. Re-writing boundaries through ‘offers’ or pressure is not self-determination it is coercion. If people want to be part of the USA then they are free to move there.
Isn’t that an argument to deny anyone independence?
No, quite the opposite actually. Independence means their people deciding their own future free from external pressure. What is being suggested here is not independence, but a transfer of sovereignty to another state. Under Danish law, Greenland can lawfully pursue independence from Denmark through a recognised process, but it cannot be bought or unilaterally absorbed into another country.
If Greenland can choose to become independent it can choose on day one of being independent to become a US state.
But that’s not my point. Trump is free to put a trillion dollar cheque on the table and Denmark and Greenland are free to consider the offer.
That’s totally different to taking it by force or coercion.
Greenlanders have made it very clear they do not want to join the U.S. If the Kremlin tried to offer millions to persuade the people of Alaska into re-joining Russia, Washington would rightly call it coercion. Why should Copenhagen be any different? As a Welshman, my nationality is priceless and not for sale.
Then there won’t be any concerns about holding a referendum on the deal and the matter is finished.
That still misses the point. Whether or not a referendum is held is entirely Denmark’s decision, and not Donald Trump’s. Once a powerful external state puts large sums of money on the table, the process is no longer neutral it becomes financial pressure. The UN Charter makes it clear that state sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be overridden through external pressure or inducement. If referendums were enough to sanitise that kind of pressure, any wealthy power could buy territory and call it democratic.
Which sections of the charter are you quoting? From what I can see large financial offer is considered a legitimate inducement for a voluntary sale of territory not illegal coercion, provided there is no accompanying threat or use of force against the other state’s sovereignty. While he is currently absolutely engaging in illegal coercion that is a different matter to whether it’s possible in principle to make a generous offer and have it considered.
It is how the UN Charter is interpreted in modern international law. Article 2(1) establishes the sovereign equality of states, and Article 2(4) prohibits actions, including threats that undermine a state’s territorial integrity or political independence. Any financial offer involving Danish territory is therefore governed by Denmark’s sovereign law, not U.S. law or some neutral international marketplace. If both parties freely agreed, that would be one thing, but Denmark has explicitly ruled out any sale. This should make the matter closed, irrespective of how generous the offer might be. It becomes even clearer when you consider that Trump has refused… Read more »
This is just ridiculous. A NATO member intimidating and threatening its allies, that if they didn’t comply will face a financial penalty until it get what it wants. A few months back we had Donald Trump openly say in front of the General Secretary of NATO ex-Dutch pm Mark Rutter that he was going to take Greenland by force if need be. And when he was asked for his opinion like a slug deflected the question effectively saying it was nothing to do with me. The same sycophant referred to Trump, and I quote, “Daddy”. At the moment we have… Read more »
Bend the knee to Trump and he keeps coming at you for more.
The EU is where the UK needs to be. Because Putins placeman in the Whitehouse is going to take us for a ride.
If the US refuses to play by the rules then maybe Europe should consider strategic engagement with China. Not an ideal situation, but would hit Trump where it really hurts. Any potential US invasion of Greenland would potentially be a bigger catalyst for WW3 than the war in Ukraine. At least in that conflict, NATO and Russia both understand the nuclear red lines, so neither side is prepared to risk a direct war. Greenland is different. It’s Danish territory. If Donald Trump ordered a U.S. seizure, it would mean a NATO power attacking another NATO member. Not only would that risk… Read more »
Who knows what goes on in Trumps head? All politicians, leaders and diplomats know that he is a dangerous crazy egotist, but can’t say it out loud as he was actually elected! Anything can happen next.