Jan. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump was due to address the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos on Wednesday with Greenland expected to dominate the agenda amid a hardening of the positions of Trump and European leaders.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg before heading to Davos herself, calling Trump's threat of tariffs "simply wrong" because Europe agreed with the United States on the need to ensure the security of the Arctic.
Von der Leyen said that while Europe preferred to talk out differences, it was "fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination," adding that leaders of EU nations would meet in Brussels to discuss their response at an emergency session of the European Council on Thursday.
Her comments came as the European Parliament was set to announce Wednesday that it was pausing ratification of a tariffs and trade deal with the United States inked in July because it was unlikely to pass.
Without the deal, $109 billion of U.S. exports to the EU will be subject to tariffs starting Feb. 7.
