Europe has to remain calm in the face of provocation from the US President
The absurdity of the threats against Europe from the US over Greenland will not be lost on the right thinking majority that believes in international law. The US President has clearly overstepped the mark with his grab for Greenland, when the plans are being rebuked across the political spectrum.
On Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer did well to put on a diplomatic front during his press conference. Instead of agonising Donald Trump, Sir Keir urged calm.
In response, the US President has instead decided to take aim at Britain’s decision to give up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands which include the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
This is an act of mischief on the US President’s part. Previously he tied his Greenland demands to being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The US President is provoking allies that simply want international law to be respected. Trump’s response to France’s refusal to join his Board of Peace is to threaten 200 per cent tariffs on French wines and champagnes.
Europe needs to remain focused on the territorial integrity of Greenland. However, Trump’s attack on Sir Keir over the signing of a treaty in May 2025 to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has created a headache for the PM on the domestic front.
Despite long-running negotiations having been started under the previous Tory administration after a 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice said the UK should cede control, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was “not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage”.