France has moved to convene a meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers this week as tensions escalate with the United States over proposed tariffs linked to a high-profile dispute about Greenland. Paris is spearheading coordinated Western efforts to address what it and other European capitals describe as coercive trade threats from Washington, and to explore collective avenues for diplomatic and economic response amidst deepening strain in transatlantic relations.
France’s Finance Minister Roland Lescure announced on Monday that he has invited his counterparts from Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States to meet and discuss how to manage mounting trade and sovereignty pressures. Lescure characterised the tariff threats as blackmail between longstanding allies and insisted economic sovereignty and territorial integrity must guide G7 deliberations. This call to action places the dispute at the forefront of G7 engagement, with leaders now facing complex choices about trade policy and alliance cohesion.
The immediate flashpoint centres on a threat by U. S. President Donald Trump to impose levies of at least 10 per cent on goods from eight European countries, including key G7 members, unless Washington is granted the opportunity to purchase Greenland — a territory of Denmark. The threatened tariffs, set to take effect in early February and potentially rise to 25 per cent by June, have alarmed European governments as breaching norms of alliance and trade cooperation among NATO partners. Paris and Berlin have openly rejected such tactics and warned that they undermine economic ties that are integral to both sides.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil joined Lescure in a statement underscoring that Europe “will not be blackmailed” over the dispute, stressing unity within the bloc and reaffirming the importance of defending the EU’s economic and political interests. European Union leaders are also preparing for an emergency summit in Brussels later this week to consider potential retaliatory steps, including activation of a previously agreed €93 billion tariff package targeting U. S. exports — a move suspended under last year’s EU-U. S. trade pact that aimed to stabilise tariffs at a baseline of 15 per cent. Those levies could encompass a wide range of American products, from vehicles to agricultural items.
Beyond the immediate dispute on Greenland, the proposed G7 meeting reflects broader anxiety among Western policymakers about the erosion of established trade frameworks and the risk that unresolved tensions could disrupt global markets. Officials are under pressure to balance a firm defence of trade principles with efforts to defuse conflict through high-level dialogue. France has further urged the European Union to consider invoking its anti-coercion instrument, a powerful trade mechanism that could deter economic coercion by restricting access to public procurement and investment opportunities, though some EU states remain cautious about deploying it for the first time.
This dispute has already had ripple effects. Leaders within the European Parliament have signalled that the tariff controversy jeopardises ratification of the trade pact with Washington that was sold as essential to strengthening ties and facilitating cooperation on issues such as Ukraine’s security. The freeze on that deal highlights the political sensitivity of trade policy amid wider geopolitical strains, including disagreements on defence spending and Arctic security.
The G7 engagement comes as world leaders prepare to convene in Davos for the World Economic Forum, where economic cooperation and geopolitical risks are expected to dominate discussions. Among those anticipated to attend are G7 figures and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who hopes to leverage global attention on security guarantees for his country — even as trade tensions loom large over transatlantic cooperation.