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by IANS |
The Hague, Jan 19 (IANS) Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel on Sunday condemned the US imposition of tariffs on European countries over Greenland, calling it an act of "blackmail."
The minister said on WNL op Zondag, a Sunday talk show on the Dutch public broadcaster NPO, that it was unacceptable to use trade tariffs as a tool to exert political or military pressure, describing the measure as "blackmail."
Van Weel said there is still room for the measure to be withdrawn before it takes effect on February 1, adding, "The first priority is to withdraw this ridiculous proposal. If that doesn't work, I can't rule anything out."
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States will impose 10-per cent tariffs on all goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland over Greenland starting on February 1.
The tariffs would increase to 25 per cent on June 1, and would continue until a deal is reached for the United States to purchase Greenland, he said on social media.
Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over defence and foreign policy. The United States maintains a military base on the island.
Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland and has recently ramped up his threat.
On Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. Following the meeting, the Danish and Greenlandic officials said "fundamental disagreement" over the future of Greenland remained.
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