By The South Asia Times

LONDON — British Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has accused US President Donald Trump of acting like an “international gangster,” warning that his recent threats over Greenland and potential tariffs pose a grave risk to the UK, Europe, and global stability.

Speaking in the House of Commons, a video Davey posted on his X, he criticized the UK government’s year-long attempts to "appease" Trump, saying they have failed. “It is time we finally stood up to him and united with our European allies to make him back down,” he said. 

Davey condemned Trump for threatening the sovereignty of an ally, undermining NATO, and targeting the UK and seven European countries with “outrageous, damaging tariffs” in pursuit of Greenland. “This is an incredibly grave moment. The President of the United States is attacking our economy, our livelihoods, and our national security. 

The Liberal Democrat leader highlighted the contrast between Trump’s recent praise of the “special relationship” at Windsor Castle and his current actions, calling them destructive. Davey called Trump a “bully” and “the most corrupt president the United States has ever seen.”

"We have to finally be clear eyed about the sort of man Trump is and treat him accordingly. He is a bully. He thinks he can grab whatever he wants, using force if necessary, and he is corrupt, the most corrupt president of United States has ever seen," he said and adding  "So there are only two ways of getting him to back down, bribing him with a new jet, perhaps, or a few billion in his crypto account, or standing up to him like we would with any other bully, standing together with our European allies to make him back down."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs linked to Greenland, calling them a “mistake” and emphasizing that the Arctic territory’s sovereignty and integrity are non-negotiable.

A day earlier, The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola also rejected President Trump threats and said the European Union supports Denmark and the people of Greenland, and they do so united in their resolve.

"The measures threatened over the weekend by the United States administration will not help improve security in the Arctic. In fact, they risk the opposite. Greenland and Denmark have both made clear that Greenland is not for sale and that their sovereignty and territorial integrity needs to be respected. That fact will not change," she said.

Trump has pursued the acquisition of Greenland, a mineral-rich autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty, citing national security concerns and the need to counter rivals like China and Russia.

Both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any offer to sell the territory, and the US proposal, coupled with Trump’s threat of tariffs, has sparked widespread criticism across Europe.