Britain will not bow to Trump pressure over Greenland, Starmer says
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media in the briefing room of 9 Downing Street in central London, Britain, after U.S. president Donald Trump's threats to ramp up tariffs until a deal is reached for the U.S. to buy Greenland. Picture date: Monday January 19, 2026. PHOTO | REUTERS
London. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the United Kingdom will not yield to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump over Washington’s push to acquire Greenland, insisting that the future of the Arctic territory should be decided by its people and Denmark.
Starmer said he favours “calm discussion” on the issue and does not want to escalate trade tensions, after Trump threatened tariffs on Britain and other European countries unless the United States was allowed to pursue a deal for Greenland.
Tensions rose further when Trump criticised Britain for agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius as part of a deal aimed at securing the future of a joint U.S.–UK military base. When the agreement was first announced, the Trump administration had publicly welcomed it.
Starmer, who has sought to maintain close relations with Washington to protect trade and security cooperation, said he would not be pressured into changing his position.
“I will not yield, Britain will not yield, on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs,” Starmer told lawmakers, adding that the Danish prime minister was expected to visit London on Thursday.
He said Trump’s recent criticism of the Chagos agreement was intended to pressure Britain over its stance on Greenland.
“President Trump deployed words on Chagos that were different from his previous words of welcome and support,” Starmer said. “He did so for the express purpose of putting pressure on Britain in relation to our values and principles on the future of Greenland.”
Responding to calls from some lawmakers for a tougher stance against Washington, Starmer said it remained essential for Britain to work closely with the United States on key global security issues, including the war in Ukraine.
“That does not mean we agree with the U.S. on everything,” he said. “But it would be foolhardy to abandon our relationship with the U.S., given its importance to our defence, security and intelligence cooperation.”
The dispute comes amid wider diplomatic unease in Europe over Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland, which has raised concerns about regional stability, trade relations and respect for international norms.
