Sir Keir Starmer will speak at Downing Street this morning (January 19) in a major address to the nation. It comes after Donald Trump’s threats to ramp up tariffs until a deal is reached for the US to buy Greenland.
The Prime Minister has told the US president it is “wrong” to apply tariffs to the UK and other European allies opposing his efforts to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
On Monday, Starmer will set out the UK’s approach to working with allies and how the country will be “led by our values”, according to a Government source.
He is also expected to speak about his determination to protect British people’s security, living standards and future through his work at home and abroad.
It comes after the US president said he would charge the UK a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” sent to the US from February 1, increasing to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark.
(Image: Getty Images)
Trump said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland.
Starmer held a series of calls on Sunday afternoon, speaking with Mr Trump as well as Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte.
In all of them, he reiterated his position on Greenland – that its future is for Denmark and Greenland to decide – and that security in the High North is a priority for all Nato allies to protect Euro-Atlantic interests.
“He also said that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is wrong,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
(Image: Getty Images)
Early on Monday, Trump said Denmark had failed to heed warnings to protect Greenland from the threat of Russia.
He wrote on his Truth Social social media site: “NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland’.
“Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
Trump appeared to take issue with a Danish-led military exercise conducted with allies in Greenland this week, saying the countries had “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown”.
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