"Germany and France agree: we will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed," German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said at his ministry where he received his French counterpart. "Blackmail between allies of 250 years, blackmail between friends, is obviously unacceptable," French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said at the same event. Lescure said that although the EU's anti-coercion instrument was above all a deterrent, it should be considered in the current circumstances. Klingbeil and Lescure's US counterpart Scott Bessent said on Sunday that European "weakness" necessitated US control of Greenland for global stability. "Our objective in the coming days, weeks, quarters and years is to politely but firmly convince Scott Bessent that he is wrong," Lescure said.

Source: Irish Independent January 19, 2026 17:18 UTC