BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 to annex Greenland and on its backers pose a challenge to Europe鈥檚 security, principles and prosperity, European Council President said on Wednesday.
鈥淎ll these three dimensions are being tested in the current moment of transatlantic relations,鈥� said Costa, who has convened an emergency summit of the leaders of all 27 European Union member states on Thursday.
Trump鈥檚 determination to 鈥� 鈥� Greenland 鈥� a mineral-rich, semiautonomous Danish territory in the Arctic region 鈥� for what he claims are security reasons, has undermined trust in the United States among allies in Europe and Canada.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum later on Wednesday, Trump might have eased some concerns when he made clear for the first time that he would not use force to seize Greenland, saying: 鈥淚 won鈥檛 do that. Okay?鈥�
Denmark angered Trump after sending a military 鈥渞econnaissance鈥� force to Greenland. A small numbers of from several European nations joined, and Denmark is weighing a longer-term military presence there.
Costa said EU leaders are united on 鈥渢he principles of international law, territorial integrity and national sovereignty,鈥� something the bloc has underlined in defending Ukraine against , and which is now threatened in Greenland.
In a speech to EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France, he also stressed that only 鈥淒enmark and Greenland can decide their future.鈥�
Costa said that 鈥渨e stand ready to defend ourselves, our member states, our citizens, our companies, against any form of coercion. And the European Union has the power and the tools to do so.鈥�
He also insisted that 鈥渇urther tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the .鈥� The lawmakers must endorse that deal made last July, but it’s now been put on hold.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament鈥檚 International Trade Committee, said Trump is still 鈥渦sing tariffs as a coercive instrument.鈥�
鈥淯ntil the threats are over, there will be no possibility for compromise,鈥� Lange said, describing tariffs as 鈥渁n attack against the economic and territorial sovereignty and integrity of the European Union.鈥�
EU leaders have been galvanized by Trump鈥檚 threats over Greenland, and are rethinking their relations with America, their longtime ally and the most powerful member of NATO.
鈥淎ppeasement is always a sign of weakness. Europe cannot afford to be weak 鈥� neither against its enemies, nor ally,鈥� Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, long a staunch supporter of strong transatlantic ties, posted on social media on Tuesday.
鈥淎ppeasement means no results, only humiliation. European assertiveness and self-confidence have become the need of the moment,鈥� Tusk wrote.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who manages trade on behalf of the EU, warned that the bloc is 鈥渁t a crossroads.鈥�
Should tariffs come, she said, 鈥渨e are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination.鈥�
In Strasbourg, she told the lawmakers that the commission is working on 鈥渁 massive European investment surge in Greenland鈥� to beef up its economy and infrastructure, as well as a new European security strategy.
Security around the island itself should be boosted with partners like the U.K., Canada, Norway and Iceland, among others, von der Leyen said.
Despite Trump apparently backing off from military threats, Greenland鈥檚 government Wednesday told its citizens to be prepared as it published a handbook on what to do in a crisis.
The guide — in Greenlandic and Danish — does not reference any threat from the U.S. and directs Greenlanders to ensure they have sufficient supplies at home to be able to survive for five days. The guide is Finland, Norway and Sweden and recommends people have three liters (0.8 gallons) of water per person per day, canned food and fuel as well as hunting and medical supplies.
鈥淲e just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,鈥� Tony Jakobsen in Greenland鈥檚 capital Nuuk said, showing AP the contents of bags which included candles, snacks and toilet roll. Jakobsen said he thought Trump鈥檚 rhetoric toward Greenland was 鈥渏ust threats… but it鈥檚 better to be ready than not ready.鈥�
Speaking in Davos, Trump described Greenland as a strategic piece of ice which is largely uninhabited.
It鈥檚 鈥渋nsulting鈥� that Trump 鈥渢alks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube,鈥� Johnny Hedemann told AP.
Hedemann spoke as he was on the way to the shops to buy a camping stove and mashed potatoes which 鈥測ou can just add water to.鈥� A few years ago, he said, Nuuk had no power for several days and that was 鈥渁 taster鈥� of what could happen.
鈥淟iving in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there鈥檚 another threat — and that鈥檚 Trump,鈥� he added.
Hedemann also said he thought it unlikely that Trump would take Greenland by force but agreed it is best to be prepared because 鈥渨ith this lunatic, you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen tomorrow. He can make things very bad for everyone.鈥�
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Burrows reported from Nuuk, Greenland
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