Russia welcomes Trump's tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland as 'collapse' of alliance
Russian officials welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland, with Kremlin economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev claiming on Jan. 17 that the move signals the "collapse" of the transatlantic alliance.
Trump earlier said that Washington would impose 10% tariffs on NATO allies — France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland — until the U.S. reaches a deal to buy Greenland. He has threatened to acquire the island "one way or the other."
"The transatlantic alliance is over," Dmitriev wrote on X, mocking European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and urging European leaders not to "provoke" Trump.
The tariffs will take effect on Feb. 1 and increase to 25% on June 1, Trump said. He threatened the tariffs just days after European forces from France, Germany, and other countries began arriving for exercises in Greenland.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, known for provocative outbursts, also welcomed Trump's rhetoric, framing it as evidence of deepening divisions within NATO.
"The U.S. is preparing to attack Greenland, choosing the island itself rather than some kind of Atlantic solidarity," Medvedev said, adding that European countries would be "punished with tariffs" for relying on U.S. protection.
Medvedev has previously mocked Western unity and urged Trump to move quickly to annex Greenland, reflecting Moscow's interest in exploiting rifts among the U.S. and its allies.
Greenland, home to about 56,000 people, already hosts a U.S. military base and has grown in strategic importance as Arctic competition intensifies.
Several EU countries have publicly backed Denmark since Trump renewed his threats, signaling alarm in Europe over the potential consequences for NATO cohesion.
Trump has insisted that NATO would become "more formidable and effective" if Greenland were under U.S. control, a claim European leaders have rejected.
Cyprus, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, announced that EU ambassadors will hold an emergency meeting on Jan. 18 to assess the situation and discuss a response.
