European Union lawmakers are on the verge of blocking approval of a trade deal with the United States following President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on nations that supported Greenland. Manfred Weber, president of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, stated on Saturday that an agreement with the U.S. is currently unattainable.

Weber announced via social media that while the EPP generally favors the EU-US trade deal, Trump's threats regarding Greenland make approval impossible "at this stage," and that the EU agreement to lower tariffs on U.S. products must be put on hold. The EU-US trade agreement, initially struck by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump last summer, is already in effect but requires formal parliamentary approval.

The agreement stipulates a 15% U.S. tariff for most EU goods in return for the EU eliminating duties on U.S. industrial goods and select agricultural products. If EPP lawmakers align with left-leaning political groups, they are expected to possess sufficient votes to delay or outright block the agreement's approval.

The specific impetus for Trump's tariff threat stems from a dispute involving Greenland, though details remain limited. The potential collapse of the trade deal highlights growing tensions between the U.S. and the EU on trade matters. The situation adds another layer of complexity to transatlantic relations already strained by disagreements over defense spending, climate change, and the Iran nuclear deal.

The European Parliament's decision to potentially block the trade deal reflects a hardening stance against what some view as protectionist trade policies from the Trump administration. The future of the agreement now hinges on whether the EPP follows through with its threat and whether any compromise can be reached to address the concerns raised by Trump's tariff threats. The parliamentary vote is expected in the coming weeks.