European leaders welcome Trump's decision to suspend tariffs on Greenland

European leaders welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday of a framework for a future deal on Greenland as well as his decision to suspend plans to impose tariffs on a number of European countries.

"Today ended with a better record than at the beginning. We welcome POTUS (Trump) for having confirmed that he will not take Greenland by force and suspend the trade war," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wrote on the X platform, as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Thursday, January 22.

"Now, let's sit down together and find ways to answer America's security concerns in the Arctic region while still respecting the Danish Kingdom's red lines," he continued.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said the move was a positive one as it showed the parties were on track for de-escalation, and tariffs were not imposed.

Schoof reiterated the importance of cooperation between the US, Canada, and Europe within the framework of NATO to strengthen security in the Arctic region and face threats from Russia and China.

Meanwhile, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard on X said "a good decision Trump is now also withdrawing from the tariff plan against us who have supported Denmark and Greenland".

"The demand to move the territorial border has received harsh criticism that is deserved. That is why we have repeatedly stated that we will not allow ourselves to be squeezed. It seems that our cooperation with allies has borne fruit," said Stenergard.

Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson also welcomed the announcement, while stressing the pressure from Europe "is of great value."

"The government has consistently stressed that extortion related to Greenland is absurd. However, this also confirms what I have said several times: we live in a new world full of uncertainties, but our fate is also in our own hands," he said.

Svantesson also stressed that he would continue his efforts to make the Swedish economy immune to Trump.

Trump said on Wednesday through his Truth Social platform that a framework for an agreement on Greenland and the wider Arctic region had been reached after his meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland.

"Based on this understanding, I will not impose tariffs scheduled to take effect on February 1," Trump wrote.

Previously, Trump said Washington would impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1, which would increase to 25 percent in June unless an agreement was reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.

Source: Anadolu