Former US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on eight European nations, including the Nordic countries, until the United States purchases Greenland. The statement, made on January 18, has drawn a sharp response from Nordic foreign ministers and jolted global markets.
Nordic Foreign Ministers issued a joint statement on Greenland earlier this month, reaffirming their position. The new threat directly challenges that stance and Norway's broader Arctic policy framework. It also puts immediate pressure on the Oslo government's economic planning.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the tariff threat a mistake following a phone call with Trump. Global markets reacted with stock slides and a weakening US dollar. The statement has drawn sustained international media coverage.
For Norway, the threat intersects several critical policy areas. The country's substantial oil and gas exports, which flow from fields like Johan Sverdrup in the North Sea, could face new trade barriers. This creates uncertainty for Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, which is closely tied to global market performance.
The Storting, Norway's parliament, is likely to debate the implications for national sovereignty and Arctic cooperation. The Nordic response will be coordinated from the government complex in Oslo. Any tariffs would directly impact Norway's maritime and energy sectors, which are central to its economy.
Norway maintains a consistent policy on Greenland's status within the Kingdom of Denmark. This latest development tests the resilience of that policy and the Nordic bloc's unified diplomatic front.