Trump’s Greenland threats present a tricky diplomatic tightrope for European leaders to walk
The Prime Minister is facing a very tricky tightrope that will require all the diplomatic dexterity that he can muster. On the one hand, it is clear that US President Donald Trump’s threats to invade Greenland are preposterous.
No one who believes in democracy would advocate such a thing. The fact that such a threat should be levied by the US would have been inconceivable not long ago.
However, Trump’s provocative rhetoric cannot be met with an incendiary response. Sir Keir Starmer was right to call for the Greenland dispute to be resolved through “calm discussion between allies” rather than military action or a trade war.
Everyone is by now aware of the capricious nature of Trump. The world ought to also be aware of the need to avoid antagonising the US President unnecessarily.
That is not to say that Europe should capitulate in the face of blatant bullying. Contrary, it is about framing the compelling argument for Greenland, an unerring ally to the US, to maintain its sovereignty.
The fact Sir Keir chose to deliver his message through an emergency press conference, highlights the gravity of the situation and emphasised the need for discreet diplomacy over social media bluster.
The US President, who is not short of admirers amongst those on the right here in the UK, is at risk of alienating even those he could have counted on as friends. Nigel Farage described Trump’s threats of tariffs as “wrong” and said he would be “having some words with the American administration” about it in Davos.
Trump is sending a very dangerous message to the world by saying he no longer feels obliged to only think of peace after he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This only emboldens the likes of Russia and China.