Kallas: EU has "no interest to pick fight" over Greenland

The European Union has no desire to escalate tensions with the United States but will firmly defend its interests, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, as concerns grow over Washington’s stance on Greenland and the threat of new tariffs.

“We have no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground,” Kallas said in a post on X, underscoring the EU’s position amid rising transatlantic unease, Caliber.Az reports.

Denmark and Greenland are not alone.
Good to see my colleagues @troelslundp and Vivian Motzfeldt.

Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest, and one we can discuss with our US allies.
But tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for… pic.twitter.com/AbIhQ2ZI13

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 19, 2026

Kallas stressed European unity and support for Denmark and Greenland, stating that they "are not alone.” She added that Arctic security remains “a shared transatlantic interest” that Europe is prepared to discuss with its US allies.

"Europe has a slate of tools to protect its interests," she noted. 

However, Kallas warned against using economic pressure to advance political goals.

“Tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for trade,” she said.

Her comments come as European leaders seek to defuse tensions with the United States over the future status of Greenland, even as US President Donald Trump has renewed threats to impose additional tariffs on eight European countries, to pressure Denmark into selling the strategically important Arctic island.

Diplomatic efforts are expected to intensify in the coming days. Numerous meetings between European and American officials are planned on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, which begins this week. EU leaders are also set to hold an extraordinary summit in Brussels later, aimed at coordinating a unified response to the evolving situation.

By Sabina Mammadli