Protesters wave Greenlandic flags as they take part in a rally under the slogans \u2018Hands off Greenland\u2019 and \u2018Greenland for Greenlanders\u2019, in front of the City Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark on January 17. PHOTO: AFP <\/p>\n
Europe may have rallied to see off President Donald Trump over Greenland, but its leaders recognise the confrontation<\/a> is unlikely to be the last in dealings with his increasingly strident version of the United States.<\/p>\n The stakes could hardly be higher, given the $2 trillion trading relationship between the European Union and the US and the dominant role Washington continues to play in the Nato\u00a0alliance and in support of Ukraine against Russia.<\/p>\n This week, in the space of a few hours at the World Economic Forum\u2019s annual meeting in Davos, Trump first ruled out taking Greenland<\/a> by force and then removed the threat of new tariffs on eight European states standing in his way \u2014\u00a0hailing instead a vague deal for the Arctic island with Nato\u00a0Secretary General Mark Rutte.<\/p>\n European leaders believe Trump backed down in part because, in contrast to their more accommodating stance in last year\u2019s tariff negotiations, this time they made it clear he was crossing a red line by asserting that Greenland\u2019s status as an autonomous territory of Denmark was non-negotiable.<\/p>\n \u201cAll this shows that you cannot let the Americans trample all over the Europeans,\u201d said a European Union official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about US ties.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did the right thing to push back, to be firm in what we said, but it is not over. My sense is that we will be tested constantly on issues like this,\u201d the official told Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n While Europe may have learned the value of standing up to Trump, the challenge is ensuring it is less exposed next time.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong> Greenland’s PM unaware of details of Trump-Rutte deal<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a hard route, and it\u2019s going to take time,\u201d said Rosa Balfour, director at Carnegie Europe, adding that Europe had \u201cfar more leverage than it has dared to use\u201d.<\/p>\n Europe not seeking a split<\/strong><\/p>\n An emergency summit of Europe\u2019s leaders on Thursday called for last year\u2019s EU-US trade deal to be put back on track after lawmakers suspended its ratification in protest over Greenland.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite all the frustration and anger of recent months, let us not be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership,\u201d German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Davos beforehand.<\/p>\n While seeking to stabilise the partnership, Europe is also taking steps aimed at \u201cde-risking\u201d it, given the open antipathy from Trump, whose new national security strategy accuses the continent of freeloading on defence and demands it open its markets to US\u00a0companies.<\/p>\n Europe is only too aware of how long it can take to reach agreement among 27 nations with different histories, politics and economies \u2014 a weakness highlighted this week by taunts from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.<\/p>\n Two EU officials said the Greenland row has accelerated discussions on how the approach taken on Ukraine \u2014 in which countries offer security guarantees on a voluntary basis and no one has a right of veto \u2014 could be extended.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should do more with coalitions of the willing and leave it open for others to follow if they want,\u201d said one official, adding that joint efforts to boost Europe\u2019s development of artificial intelligence technology could be one example.<\/p>\n Coalitions such as the \u201cE3\u201d group comprising France, Germany and Britain, which focuses on security matters, also allow non-EU states to take part, a model that resonates with other countries on the rough end of Trump policies.<\/p>\n \u201cThe middle powers must act together, because if we\u2019re not at the table, we\u2019re on the menu,\u201d Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a Davos speech to warm applause.<\/p>\n Another route under consideration is using the leeway afforded by EU law. In December, EU states used an emergency provision to indefinitely immobilise hundreds of billions of dollars of Russian assets, removing the risk of a pro-Moscow country such as Hungary blocking the roll-over of the measure and forcing the EU to return the money.<\/p>\n Also Read: <\/a><\/strong>Trump dropped Greenland military option after aides intervened, sources say<\/a><\/p>\n