Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated from Seoul between 12:46 p.m. and 1:16 p.m. UTC on January 18, 2026, that she spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump and told him her views on U.S. tariffs against countries that sent assistance to Greenland, attributing the issue to a communication problem with EU countries, according to a news report. Meloni said, "I spoke to Donald Trump and told him what I think. There was a communication problem with the EU countries." The remarks, made during this 29-minute period, echo her statements over the past hour urging dialogue to avoid escalation, as reported by Sky News and X posts. The comments follow U.S. President Trump's January 17 announcement of 10% tariffs on Denmark and other nations starting February 1, rising to 25% on June 1 unless a Greenland purchase deal is reached. They come amid a German military team's abrupt withdrawal from Greenland earlier between 11:46 a.m. and 12:46 p.m. UTC on Berlin orders, according to Bild newspaper as reported by @clashreport on X.
