Bringing up the threat of tariffs as a way to take over Greenland is completely irresponsible, according to the finance minister.
It is absurd, and we will not let ourselves be blackmailed by this, she tells TT.
Should Sweden and the EU respond with strong counter-tariffs?
The most important thing is that we work together with other EU countries. Later today, the EU ambassadors will meet and discuss a joint response. But what that will be and how it will be, we will have to come back to that.
Trump-proof economy
She gives the same answer regarding whether the EU should adopt or tear up the trade agreement that is ready to be signed.
Just as with previous tariff threats from the US, the EU and Sweden should not stand "with their hats in their hands, bowing and scraping," says Svantesson.
But this particular question is about Denmark and Greenland. He uses tariffs as a threat to get what he wants regarding Greenland. That makes this question both absurd and more complex.
Is this a serious threat to the Swedish economy?
It is obviously bad to have higher tariffs, but the Swedish economy is strong now. Our economy is in many ways Trump-proof, as I usually say. We have strong public finances; we can act both to support the Swedish economy and the economy of Swedes, she says.
S wants to see tough action
The Social Democrats believe that the EU must now impose tariffs against the US.
"With this, the US has in practice violated the trade agreement between the EU and the US," writes the Social Democrats' foreign policy spokesperson Morgan Johansson on X.
"The EU must unfortunately respond firmly, and not hesitate to use tariffs and other trade restrictions to fight back. It is unfortunate, but inevitable," he writes further.
