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.
TRUMP IS A RUSSIAN AGENT - that's why he does Putin's bidding. The disgusting monster should be removed from office ASAP. That requires of course courage from the GOP - which has so far been displaying mainly cowardice.
Possibly the Transatlantic alliance is over, but it is not for Russia to determine. It is certain, however, that Europe has an unreliable ally in US and we have to step up ourselves. Most Europeans realize that. Canada is a friend of EU and a substantial trade agreement was recently signed with important partners in South America. The softest spot is Ukraine that should receive more military support. It is a major threat that Trump put pressure on anybody but Russia - he is in some ways a very weak President
NATO will be finished very soon, unless Trump gets removed from office. But that is not an end to defence alliances in Europe. GLORY TO NADA (North Atlantic Defence Alliance) - without Trumpistan and Orbanistan.