ArmInfo. To counter the United States' seizure of Greenland, Europeans could use several levers of pressure, The Economist writes. For example, the EU could impose sanctions and tariffs, cancel the August 2025 trade agreement, and target US tech giants.
The publication notes that military bases in Europe are among these levers of pressure. Without Ramstein in Germany and other facilities, "power projection" into Africa and the Middle East will be impossible. As an example, The Economist cites the January 7 seizure of a Venezuelan tanker, which relied on British bases.
Another weakness for the United States is Arctic logistics. Managing threats in the Arctic requires cooperation with Greenland, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Norway, the article notes.
The publication notes that the EU's more aggressive economic approach must be implemented simultaneously with an urgent increase in defense spending, emphasizing that a new trade war would put "enormous pressure on budgets."
Earlier in January, Trump declared Greenland "absolutely essential" to the United States. Following this, European countries began sending troops to the island to participate in Operation Arctic Fortitude, with troops from Denmark, Germany, France, and other EU countries arriving.
Later, the Republican announced that, starting February 1, 2026, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland would be subject to a 10% customs duty on all goods shipped to the United States.
EU leaders condemned Trump's threats. European Commission and EU Presidents Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa warned, among other things, of the undermining of transatlantic relations and a "dangerous downward spiral."
