Donald Trump has launched an unprecedented initiative to increase economic pressure on US allies due to disputes over Greenland. According to the US president, starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland will face a 10% tariff on all goods exported to the United States. Starting June 1, the tariff will rise to 25%.
The sanctions target Denmark—the sovereign power over Greenland—and other countries that deployed their forces near the island to cooperate with the US on security. However, Trump's response was the opposite: his administration viewed these European actions as an attempt to defend Greenland not from Russia or China, but from the United States itself.
In social media posts, Trump clearly emphasizes the need to acquire Greenland for US national security interests, aiming to create a so-called “golden dome” for the protection of both the US and Canada. This step is unprecedented in modern international law because, under NATO obligations, the US should guarantee Denmark’s security, not exert pressure to alter its territorial integrity.
The situation draws direct parallels with Russian President Putin’s actions in 2014 regarding Crimea—where security justifications were used to legitimize territorial changes. The author notes there is no genuine security need for the US to breach international law since all parties are NATO allies interested in regional stability.
Tariff sanctions instead of diplomatic dialogue call into question the US commitment to international standards and undermine trust in the NATO Article 5 collective defense pledge. The situation could seriously impact Euro-Atlantic solidarity and strengthen Russia’s and China’s influence globally.
The commentary concludes that the US president’s moves may provoke profound changes in the European and global security system, threaten US-European cooperation, and offer new opportunities for Russia and China’s geopolitical ambitions.
