Hungary’s foreign minister says Greenland issue should be resolved through bilateral negotiations, not European Union intervention.
Hungarian Minister’s Position
On Monday, January 19, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited the Czech Republic. During a press conference, when asked how the European Union should react to the conflict over Greenland, Szijjarto stated that issuing a joint EU statement would not be the appropriate solution.
“We believe this is a bilateral issue that can be resolved through negotiations between both sides. I don’t think this is a problem for the European Union,” he said.
Eight-Nation Statement
Donald Trump announced that from February 1, he will impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. These countries decided to send their troops to Greenland. On Sunday, the mentioned countries published a joint statement expressing opposition to US attempts to take control of Greenland.
The statement emphasized that the US decision to impose tariffs “undermines transatlantic relations and could lead to dangerous escalation.” “We will continue to respond in a united and coordinated manner. We are committed to defending our sovereignty,” it read.
EU Solidarity with Denmark
European Council President Antonio Costa also mentioned the common position of European countries on Greenland. On Sunday, he posted on X that EU countries express solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and are ready to “defend against any form of coercion.”
Costa also wrote that there is agreement within the European Union regarding Trump’s decision on tariffs, which “would undermine transatlantic relations and be inconsistent with the EU-US trade agreement.” Costa also announced that due to tensions around Greenland, an extraordinary meeting of the European Council will be convened in the coming days.