Finance
UK's finance minister Reeves calls for Greenland de-escalation
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Quick Summary
UK finance minister Rachel Reeves calls for de-escalation over Greenland, emphasizing diplomacy at Davos. European leaders react to US stance.
UK's finance minister Reeves calls for Greenland de-escalation
UK's Call for De-escalation
LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain's finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday that it was important to de-escalate the situation over Greenland, the island which U.S. President Donald Trump has said his country should own.
Reeves' Statements on Greenland
"We absolutely want to de-escalate," Reeves told a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "The future of Greenland is for the people of Greenland."
Prime Minister's Appeal for Calm
"I don't think it's in anyone's interest to escalate tensions or to allow rhetoric to be a substitute for hard work and diplomacy," Reeves added.
European Leaders' Reactions
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Monday for calm discussion to avert a possible trade war with the United States over Greenland, appealing to President Donald Trump to respect alliances such as NATO rather than undermine them.
Some European leaders have advocated a tougher line against Trump and France's foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said on Tuesday that his country wanted the European Union to suspend a trade deal with the United States.
Reeves said she did not believe that a renegotiation would be productive.
"We would just urge people to keep cool heads. That's what we did all through last year and it actually served us pretty well," she said.
(Reporting by David Milliken; additional reporting by William James and Catarina Demony; editing by Sarah Young)
Key Takeaways
- •Rachel Reeves calls for de-escalation over Greenland.
- •Reeves emphasizes diplomacy at Davos event.
- •UK Prime Minister urges calm to avoid trade war.
- •European leaders react to US stance on Greenland.
- •France suggests suspending EU-US trade deal.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK's finance minister Reeves calls for Greenland de-escalation
1What is de-escalation?
De-escalation refers to the process of reducing tension or conflict in a situation, often through diplomatic means, to prevent further escalation of disputes.
2What is trade war?
A trade war occurs when countries impose tariffs or other trade barriers on each other in response to trade policies, leading to increased tensions and potential economic repercussions.
3What is NATO?
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance formed for mutual defense among member countries, primarily in North America and Europe.
