WEF: Is Greenland the wake-up call Europe needed?

"After all, the US president, who is returning to Davos after six years, is responsible for much of the fragmentation of the global order that the Davos crowd expects to discuss during the five-day event. But by threatening some of the closest US allies with tariffs to coerce them into supporting his plans to annex Greenland from Denmark, a NATO member, Trump has raised the stakes several notches higher."

"The European Union has hit back against Trump's threats, even drawing up retaliatory economic measures against US companies and discussing the use of its so-called Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) that can limit US firms' access to the massive EU single market. The episode has once again underscored Europe's need to shrug off its complacency and reassess its reliance on the US for everything from defense to technology, a theme that's also a big talking point at the WEF meeting."

"EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told WEF participants that the "seismic change" Europe was currently going through was "an opportunity," and in fact "a necessity to build a new form of European independence." "The truth is also that we will only be able to capitalize on this opportunity if we recognize that this change is permanent," she added."

Donald Trump's tariff threats and coercive diplomacy over Greenland have sharply escalated tensions with close European allies and intensified concerns about transatlantic relations. The European Union responded by preparing retaliatory economic measures and considering use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument to limit US firms' access to the single market. European leaders have been prompted to reassess dependence on the United States for defense and technology and to pursue greater strategic autonomy. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized the shift as a seismic, permanent change and called for building a new form of European independence.

Read at www.dw.com