Europe sketches plan to reduce dependence after Trump’s Greenland threats

After President Trump threatened Europe last week, most recently over Greenland, leaders from across the continent met at an emergency dinner in Brussels and sketched a playbook to reduce military and economic dependence on the United States, according to three officials briefed on the meeting.

At the dinner, positions diverged: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged continued dialogue with Mr. Trump, Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed for immediate regulatory cuts to spur growth, and President Emmanuel Macron argued Europe should be willing to strike back, the officials said.

Deliberations ran into the early hours; the officials said the playbook calls for remaining calm during provocations, threatening retaliatory tariffs and working behind the scenes to become less dependent on Washington. On economics, a German‑Italian policy paper produced last week urged steps to cut regulations, create a single continental capital market and establish a Pan‑European stock exchange; its authors said it will help frame an informal E.U.

leaders meeting on Feb. 12. European leaders also announced a trade agreement with India this week as part of efforts to diversify markets and secure supply chains outside the United States. On defence and the Arctic, leaders reacted to Mr.

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