DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark must be "unequivocally" respected, stressing that the issue is of "utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship as U.S. tariff threats add fresh strain to ties.
Von der Leyen made the remarks in a post on social media platform X after meeting a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
"I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark," she wrote.
On trade, von der Leyen pushed back against the tariff approach, calling transatlantic trade and investment a major asset for both the European Union (EU) and U.S. economies and saying tariffs run counter to shared interests.
Her remarks came as tensions have risen after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on a group of European countries supporting Greenland, prompting EU officials and member states to consider possible responses while keeping diplomatic channels open.
Earlier, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU stood in full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and warned that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a "dangerous downward spiral." ■
