UK’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will not bow to US President Donald Trump’s demands over Greenland, rejecting what he described as pressure tactics aimed at forcing Britain to soften its stance on the strategic Arctic territory.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer dismissed Trump’s latest outburst, in which the US president accused him of “great stupidity” over the Chagos Islands and threatened tariffs, as an attempt to compel the UK to abandon its “values and principles”.
“President Trump deployed words on Chagos yesterday that were different to his previous words of welcome and support when I met him in the White House,” Starmer said. “He deployed those words yesterday for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland. He wants me to yield on my position and I am not going to do so.”
The clash came amid escalating tensions between Washington and European capitals after Trump signalled he would impose 10 per cent tariffs from February 1 unless Britain and the EU backed his push for American control over Danish-owned Greenland. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen vowed the bloc would be “unflinching” in its response, while the prime minister confirmed Danish premier Mette Frederiksen will travel to Downing Street for urgent talks.
In a whirlwind 24 hours, Trump lashed out at European leaders, threatened 200 per cent tariffs on French wine and champagne, published private messages from Emmanuel Macron, and shared AI mock-ups of himself planting a US flag on Greenland. He also revived previous claims on Canada by posting a map in US colours.
The mounting crisis has rattled NATO, with analysts warning the alliance faces its most severe rupture since its founding in 1949. Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted the UK “would not be buffeted around” by tariff threats, telling broadcasters from Davos: “Britain is not here to be buffeted around. We’ve got an economic plan… If other countries want to increase trade barriers, that is their choice.” She stressed the trade deal with Washington “would not be undone”.
The Bank of England is on “high alert”, with Governor Andrew Bailey warning MPs that geopolitical uncertainty could trigger market volatility. Meanwhile, shadow Cabinet minister Alex Burghart described the dispute as “the most dangerous moment for Europe since 1945”, warning: “There’s a risk that NATO is going to fall apart… if it does, it will probably mean that (Vladimir) Putin will win in Ukraine.”
Greenland remains at the centre of the standoff. Strategically located between the Arctic and North Atlantic, the island is seen as a critical asset for missile defence, high-tech supply chains and emerging shipping routes. It hosts Pituffik Space Base, the US’s most northerly military installation, and is rich in rare earth minerals vital for defence and electronics. While security experts note the US already enjoys broad access through treaties, Trump has folded Greenland into his “Golden Dome” missile-shield plan, declaring it “vital” to America’s early-warning architecture.
Starmer’s defiance marks his sharpest public criticism of Trump since entering No 10. The prime minister also condemned the tariff threat as “completely wrong”. With NATO allies uneasy, opposition figures have urged Starmer to convene an emergency summit on Arctic security to prevent further deterioration.
As Britain seeks to manage relations with Washington, Copenhagen and Brussels simultaneously, Downing Street now faces a geopolitical dilemma involving defence, trade, and strategic resources, with the future of alliance unity hanging in the balance.
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