UK’s Starmer Seeks to De-Escalate US Tariff Threats Linked to Greenland
LONDON: British PM Keir Starmer on Monday urged restraint and calm discussion as tensions rose over threatened US tariffs linked to Greenland, warning that a trade confrontation would damage alliances and hurt already stretched households.
Keir Starmer said Britain would not rush into retaliatory measures, even as US President Donald Trump warned of tariffs on imports from several countries unless Washington was allowed to buy Greenland. The prime minister stressed that escalation would serve no one’s interests.
“Tariffs should not be used against allies in this way,” Starmer said, adding that his priority was to prevent the situation from developing into a full-scale tariff war. He said the government would use “the full strength of government” to try to stop the US decision through diplomatic means.
Addressing criticism from opposition figures who have accused him of being too weak toward Trump, Starmer said a pragmatic approach did not mean being passive, and insisted Britain would stand by its principles and values.
The prime minister said allied forces deployed to Greenland were there to assess and manage security risks, including concerns linked to Russia, and expressed hope that there was now clarity on that issue.
Starmer also signalled that Britain’s response would differ from that of the European Union, which has discussed possible countermeasures. He said the UK would instead focus on maintaining its crucial relationship with the United States in areas such as security, intelligence and defense, while continuing to oppose the tariff threat.
Warning that the dispute could trigger a “downward spiral” in trade and weaken long-standing alliances, Starmer said he believed the issue could still be resolved through calm discussion and added that he did not believe military action was being considered.
