EU looks to present united front in response to US 'blackmail'

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00:00Well, there's quite a general wave of indignation.

00:03We've seen from the different capitals exactly the same kind of language.

00:09The British Prime Minister Kirstama calling the U.S. threats just wrong.

00:16Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Prime Minister, saying that Europe will not be intimidated.

00:23It's the same language everywhere, except for an interesting euphemism from the Danish

00:29Foreign Affairs Minister Lars-Lok Rasmussen, who said it was surprising.

00:36He was the one who was with his Greenlandic counterpart at Washington in talks last week.

00:43Obviously, it didn't work out.

00:45And the most interesting part, of course, is what the EU says, because it seems that we

00:52have now a common reaction which is going to be put into play.

00:58The first reaction was actually the President of the European Councils, that is Antonio Costa,

01:05who was yesterday at Assumption in Paraguay, and who said that the EU would, at any cost

01:12and in any situation, defend the rights of a, well, the territory of a sovereign state,

01:20and especially an EU member.

01:21So that's what we are dealing with today.

01:25The only disappointing part is actually the official communique from Ursula von der Leyen

01:31and Antonio Costa together, because in there, there is also a call for dialogue,

01:36which is far lower as the expectations of the countries within the EU,

01:42which are part of the aids threatened by Donald Trump.

01:46Obviously, Britain and Norway are not EU members.

01:49The six others are counting on their EU allies to present with a united front against these

01:58new blackmail, if you will, that Donald Trump is presenting them with.

02:03Yeah.

02:03So on one hand, you have Donald Trump, who had said all options are on the table.

02:07His administration has not ruled out taking Greenland by force.

02:09On the other hand, you have the EU, as you say, saying they'll do whatever they need to

02:13to defend Greenland at all costs.

02:16What's next, Pierre?

02:20Well, the next step is the meeting of the ambassadors here.

02:26They're called the permanent representatives.

02:28They are meeting at 1700 Brussels time.

02:32They are going to discuss the options that are on the table.

02:36The good thing, as I was saying, is that they are dealing with this in a coordinated manner.

02:42That was what Antonio Costa wished for yesterday.

02:45A range of options are on the table.

02:48Obviously, the EU reciprocal tariffs that were addicted last year when the tariffs offensive

02:58from Washington started have been suspended by the EU.

03:04They could be reinstated.

03:05There are two of them, two huge waves of tariffs against specific products from the United States

03:12as per importation to the EU.

03:15There is also a very powerful tool which has not been used yet.

03:19It's the anti-correction instrument from the EU, which could impose, well, lift all operating

03:29conditions for, for example, tech giants in Europe, suspend services, and a whole range of measures

03:37against US investments for protecting the EU.

03:41And there is also another step later in the week because the Euro MEPs are going to be voting

03:48on the reciprocal tariffs that were to be granted to the US.

03:53It has not been voted on yet.

03:56That is, tariffs, specific tariffs, more beneficial to the US still, for instance.

04:01And this vote could go very wrong in the course of the week, obviously.

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