NATO Allies Defend Denmark's Arctic Exercise Amid US Tariff Threats

A coalition of NATO allies has issued a strong defense of Denmark's Arctic military exercise, a move that comes as the United States threatens punishing tariffs over a renewed dispute about Greenland. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom released a joint statement this week affirming their support for the Danish-led 'Arctic Endurance' operation. They called it a legitimate exercise that strengthens regional security and poses no threat. This political backing arrives alongside a significant economic threat from the US administration. Former President Donald Trump has warned of imposing 10% tariffs on all eight nations starting next month, with plans to escalate those tariffs to 25% later. The stated condition for avoiding these tariffs is for Denmark to agree to sell Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. The demand has sparked widespread condemnation. Thousands of people marched in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, in a major protest against any potential US takeover. The demonstration underscores the deep local opposition to the idea, which has been consistently rejected by both the Danish government and Greenland's own leadership. Nordic foreign ministers had already expressed their solidarity with Denmark and Greenland in a separate joint statement earlier this month. The situation creates a complex diplomatic and economic challenge for Copenhagen, pitting its crucial NATO alliances against a volatile trade threat centered on a long-settled issue of sovereignty. For now, the Danish government holds firm, backed by its European partners and the clear will of the Greenlandic people.