By Our Correspondent 

DAVOS, Switzerland — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs linked to Greenland, calling them a “mistake” and emphasizing that the Arctic territory’s sovereignty and integrity are non-negotiable.

Her remarks came during a special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she also outlined Europe’s strategy for Arctic security and investment.

The dispute escalated after Trump threatened the EU with tariffs of up to 10% over Greenland-related trade and investment issues, raising tensions between long-standing allies.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron, a key European partner, expressed full solidarity with von der Leyen’s position, warning that any coercive trade measures could “jeopardize trust and cooperation” between Europe and the United States.

Von der Leyen stressed that the EU and US share common objectives in Arctic security, citing Finland’s sale of icebreakers to the United States as an example of allied cooperation. “Arctic security can only be achieved together,” she said, urging a coordinated approach to investment, defence, and regional partnerships. She announced plans for a “massive European investment surge in Greenland,” in collaboration with Denmark, to bolster local infrastructure and the economy.

The European Commission chief also warned that unilateral tariffs would risk “plunging us into a dangerous downward spiral” that could inadvertently benefit strategic adversaries. She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to a united, proportional response and said the bloc is preparing an upgraded Arctic security strategy to strengthen cooperation with the UK, Canada, Norway, Iceland, and other regional partners.

The Greenland dispute reflects broader trade tensions between the US and Europe. Trump has repeatedly used tariff threats as leverage in negotiations, most recently targeting steel, aluminum, and digital services. Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU-US trade deal agreed last July must be respected, underscoring that “in politics as in business — a deal is a deal, and when friends shake hands, it must mean something.”

At the heart of her address was a clear message: Greenland’s people, and by extension Denmark, have the right to decide their own future without external coercion, a principle she called fundamental to European policy and Arctic security planning.

Trump has pursued the acquisition of Greenland, a mineral-rich autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty, citing national security concerns and the need to counter rivals like China and Russia.

Both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any offer to sell the territory, and the US proposal, coupled with Trump’s threat of tariffs, has sparked widespread criticism across Europe.