London, 19 January (H.S.): British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a pointed admonition to United States President Donald Trump during a telephone conversation on Sunday (January 18, 2026), declaring it wrong to impose tariffs on NATO allies resisting America's bid to acquire Greenland from Denmark.

Prelude to the High-Stakes Call

Starmer's outreach followed a flurry of prior discussions that afternoon with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, culminating in direct engagement with Trump.

A No. 10 spokeswoman emphasized Starmer's consistent stance: Arctic security constitutes a collective NATO priority for safeguarding Euro-Atlantic interests, rendering punitive tariffs on allies profoundly misguided.

This marked the inaugural dialogue between the leaders since Trump's Saturday, January 17, 2026, Truth Social proclamation of 10% tariffs—escalating to 25% on June 1—targeting Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, unless a deal materializes for Greenland's complete and total purchase.

Joint European Defiance and UK Bipartisan Outrage

The eight nations issued a unified Sunday statement decrying the levies as undermining transatlantic ties and precipitating a dangerous downward spiral, while affirming solidarity with Denmark and Greenland alongside NATO-committed Arctic fortification. Greenlanders, per a January 2025 poll, overwhelmingly reject US control (85% opposed, 6% in favor), echoed by US sentiment (17% support per Reuters/Ipsos).

UK voices transcended party lines: Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy deemed the threat deeply unhelpful, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel called it completely wrong, and figures like Jeremy Hunt warned annexation would dismantle NATO, as protests—Greenland is not for sale—swept Copenhagen and Nuuk on January 17.

Strategic Imperative Versus Sovereignty Clash

Trump rationalizes the pressure citing Greenland's pivotal geography for missile early warning, vessel surveillance, and rare earth minerals amid thawing ice, bolstered by a 1951 US-Denmark defense pact permitting unlimited troop basing. Denmark insists the territory remains non-negotiable, with recent multinational reconnaissance—including a UK officer—prompting Trump's accusation of a dangerous game imperiling planetary survival.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar