LONDON
The prime minister of Belgium said his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Davos on Wednesday will have a "different character" than planned, and the message would be that "you're crossing red lines."
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Bart De Wever said he will meet Trump on the margins of the event, and King Philippe of Belgium will also accompany him.
He said the meeting was fixed before the Greenland issue, referring to Trump's renewed interest to acquire the autonomous Danish territory and his tariff threats to allies who oppose the bid.
"But it will have a different character than we had planned," he said during discussion at the panel, "Redefining Europe’s Place in the World."
"It will probably be the message that we have to send. You're crossing red lines here. We either stand together or we will stand divided," De Wever said. "If we are divided, there is the end of an era of 80 years of Atlanticism is really drawing to a close."
He also quoted Italian Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci: "If the old is dying and the new is not yet born, you live in a time of monsters."
Greenland has attracted Trump’s interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about rising Russian and Chinese activity.
Last week, Trump said Washington would impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland starting on Feb. 1 and rising to 25% in June until there is a deal for "the complete and total purchase of Greenland."
European leaders rejected Trump's threats against the eight European nations, reiterated solidarity with Denmark, and vowed collective action.