Brussels: European Union leaders have issued a warning regarding a potential "dangerous downward spiral" following US President Donald Trump's declaration of intent to impose escalating tariffs on European countries unless the US is permitted to purchase Greenland.

According to Qatar News Agency, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa expressed concerns on social media platform X, indicating that the proposed tariffs could damage transatlantic relations and pose a threat to European sovereignty. They emphasized the importance of maintaining unity and coordination within Europe in response to these potential trade measures.

EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, highlighted the economic repercussions of the tariffs, stressing that they would harm prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and divert attention away from the EU's primary focus of resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Kallas also noted that geopolitical rivals, China and Russia, stand to gain from any discord among Western allies.

Kallas suggested that the security concerns related to Greenland should be addressed within the framework of NATO, rather than through trade disputes. The potential tariffs, she argued, could lead to economic decline for both Europe and the United States, undermining their collective prosperity.

In response to the tariff threat, ambassadors representing the European Union's 27 member states are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to formulate a collective strategy.