BERLIN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday he will try to meet with US President Donald Trump this week to prevent further escalation in the Greenland dispute.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz said European countries that expressed support for Denmark's sovereignty and were threatened by Trump with tariffs want to avoid any escalation.

"We will have the opportunity this week in Davos to discuss this in various meetings. I will try to meet with President Trump on Wednesday," he said, referring to World Economic Forum meetings in Switzerland.

The conservative German leader said Europeans recognize the strategic importance of Arctic security and Greenland's role, and are prepared to address these concerns jointly with NATO through increased presence in the region.

He also emphasized that if Trump follows through on tariff threats against countries opposing his Greenland ambitions, Europeans stand ready to respond with counter-economic measures.

"I don't want it, but if it's necessary, then of course we will protect our European interests, including our German national interests," Merz said. "We don't want this escalation. We don't want a trade dispute with the US, but if we are confronted with tariffs that we consider unreasonable, then we are capable of responding."

'Tariffs harm Americans too’

Merz stressed that deploying tariffs as a tool to shape foreign policy is not only counterproductive but also inflicts economic damage on both sides of the Atlantic, including American consumers and businesses.

“Tariffs benefit no one and harm almost everyone. In fact, American consumers are now noticing the effects of these tariffs,” he told reporters. "The US economy isn't performing as well as the American government anticipated a year ago, and in my estimation, this is partly due to Trump's tariff policy," he said.

Merz also said European leaders will hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels on Thursday evening to discuss possible countermeasures and present a unified response to the US tariff threat.

Trump announced Saturday that Washington will impose tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland starting on Feb. 1. The tariffs will begin at 10% and increase to 25% by June 1.

The US president said the measures would remain in place until a deal is reached for the US’ "complete and total purchase of Greenland" from Denmark. He cited national security concerns, saying "world peace is at stake" and claiming that "China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it."

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about rising Russian and Chinese activity.

Both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.