BERLIN, Jan 19: Europe is preparing countermeasures against US President Donald Trump's "blackmail" after he threatened tariffs against several countries over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, Germany's vice chancellor said Monday.
"We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed," said Lars Klingbeil, at a Berlin press conference alongside the French economy and finance minister, Roland Lescure.
"Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners."
Trump vowed on Saturday to hit European countries -- including Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory -- with tariffs of up to 25 percent unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden already hit back at the threat in a joint statement at the weekend.
Meanwhile, the EU said on Monday it wanted to engage with the United States after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on European countries in the standoff over Greenland, but was ready to act if needed.
Trump shook Europe on Saturday when he vowed to slap EU members Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden -- and non-members Britain and Norway -- with extra levies unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
Leaders from the 27-nation bloc will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday evening to discuss their response to one of the gravest crises in years to hit transatlantic ties.
"Our priority is to engage, not escalate," EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said. "Sometimes the most responsible form of leadership is restraint."
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said a "trade war is in no one's interest" on Monday, after US President Donald Trump vowed to hit Britain and European countries with tariffs over their support for Greenland. "AFP
