David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the CDU, described the Greenland dispute as the “most severe crisis within NATO” to date and warned that Americans could again demand concessions from President Donald Trump. He told “Welt am Sonntag” that the worst scenarios had been averted, but stressed the need to prepare in case Trump changes his mind again. McAllister said the EU had exercised restraint toward Trump while clearly stating its red lines-particularly a refusal to accept any violation of territorial integrity.
Former German Finance Minister Peter Altmaier, also a CDU member, echoed a similar sentiment. “The European response in Davos-Emmanuel Macron’s speech, for instance-and the willingness to resort to trade‑policy measures have left Trump more impressed than previous appeasement tactics” he told the newspaper. “Anyone who knows Trump understands that he has not abandoned his annexation goal for Greenland. The match is far from over”.
Bernd Lange, head of the EU Parliament’s Trade Committee and a member of the SPD, says a lasting thaw in transatlantic relations is unlikely. He warned that economic ties between Europe and the United States remain strained, noting that, for the first time in recent memory, uncertainty for the European economy has reached unprecedented levels. At the same time, he reminded that the U.S. is still dependent on Europe. Should Washington raise new threats, he warned the EU might, for instance, exclude companies such as Apple and Google from public contracts or impose levies on their services.
Monika Schnitzer, the chair of what she calls the “economic wiseners” told the newspaper that in disputes such as the Greenland conflict the EU would use instruments sharper than tariffs. “Measures that make it difficult for U.S. firms to access the large EU market for public procurement would be especially effective” she said. She added that targeted steps in the services sector-particularly in digital offerings where U.S. firms have a strong presence-would have a noticeable impact. According to Schnitzer, such focused interventions are more effective than blanket tariffs, as they build pressure without unnecessarily damaging overall trade.