The EU has called an emergency meeting of member states on Sunday after US President Donald Trump threatened Finland and seven other countries with new import tariffs.
According to Trump, the tariffs will continue until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland. He made the threat in a social media post on Saturday evening Finnish time, targeting most of the Nordic countries as well as France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
They all face additional 10 percent import tariffs starting 1 February. Since last August, the US has been imposing a 15 percent tariff on all imports from the EU, after earlier threatening a 30-percent tariff. Trump added that the tariff would rise to 25 percent on 1 June if a deal is not in place for "the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland" by the US.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb responded in a social media post on Saturday evening, stressing that European countries are united and emphasising the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"Among allies, issues are best resolved through discussion, not through pressure. Strengthening Arctic security together with allies is very important for Finland. This is also the purpose of the Danish-led and allied-coordinated action in Greenland," Stubb wrote on X.
"European countries stand united. We emphasise the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty. We support Denmark and Greenland. Dialogue with the United States continues. Tariffs would undermine the transatlantic relationship and risk a dangerous downward spiral," added Stubb, who is among the European leaders with the closest personal relationships with Trump.
The Finnish opposition leader, SDP chair Antti Lindtman, called on Sunday for an urgent EU summit in response to the US pressure. Lindtman tweeted that the EU must quickly rally its forces and decide on joint action while standing firmly alongside Greenland and Denmark.
The EU foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas of Estonia, observed in a tweet that disagreements within the Western alliance benefit China and Russia, while tariffs threaten to impoverish both Europe and the US. Kallas asserted that any possible security problems regarding Greenland can be addressed within Nato.
Unusual Saturday meeting with security committee
Before the tariff announcement, Stubb held an unusual Saturday meeting with the government's Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (Utva) to discuss key current issues in foreign and security policy as well as global and European development trends.
On Monday, Stubb heads to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, along with Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP) and Foreign Trade Minister Ville Tavio (Finns). Trump is also expected to attend, along with European President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of Germany, Ukraine and many other European countries as well as Canada, Colombia, Indonesia and the Palestinian National Authority, among others.
"Finnish companies should seek more non-US markets"
Meanwhile a Finnish business leader urged entrepreneurs and firms to begin preparing for tariffs that may take effect two weeks from now.
Mikael Pentikäinen, CEO of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises (Suomen Yrittäjät), told Yle on Sunday that Finnish companies should seek more non-US markets, while the EU should continue its efforts to secure new trade agreements.
Pentikäinen stressed that Finland is not alone in this situation and expressed that hope that a compromise may still be reached.
"I am confident that our political leadership, together with the leaders of other European countries, will be able to find some kind of solution. It is worth keeping a cool head and looking to the future with confidence, but at the same time preparing for the fact that the tariffs may come into effect at the beginning of February," Pentikäinen told Yle.
12.33: Added Lindtman comments.