EU ambassadors hold emergency meeting over Trump Greenland tariffs

EU ambassadors from all 27 member states convened an emergency meeting on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Brussels to discuss coordinated responses to Trump's tariff threats. Cyprus, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, convened the meeting at the request of affected member states.

President Trump announced on Truth Social on Jan. 17, 2026, that he would impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries starting Feb. 1, 2026, escalating to 25% on Jun. 1, 2026, until a deal is reached for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. The eight targeted countries are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that the tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer, undermine shared prosperity, and benefit China and Russia by dividing Western allies. She argued that security concerns about Greenland should be addressed within NATO rather than through economic coercion.

European Parliament leader Manfred Weber, head of the European People's Party (EPP), called for suspending approval of the U.S.-EU trade deal negotiated in Jul. 2025. He specifically demanded putting the 0% tariffs on U.S. products on hold, arguing that approval isn't possible while Trump threatens EU member states.