Europe’s territorial integrity is a “red line” in Finland’s relations with the United States and other powers, according to Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.

“I can only say that certainly territorial integrity is the red line.

“We defend the UN Charter, the territorial integrity of nations and sovereignty, and if need be, then we have to react through the means which we have at hand,” she told the South China Morning Post when asked about Greenland.

The US president only ruled out the use of force after it became clear that the European Union was readying punitive trade measures.

Senior EU sources said that the bloc’s anti-coercion instrument – often referred to as its “trade bazooka” – would have been triggered had Trump not backed down. Tariffs had also been drawn up and readied for use.