Photos of historic tall ships arriving in Amsterdam for a maritime festival

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A flotilla of historic ships sailed into Amsterdam on Wednesday, marking the start of SAIL 2025, a five-day festival celebrating the city’s maritime history.

The event, normally held every five years but canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, features ships from around the world. This year's event coincides with Amsterdam’s 750th birthday.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Fireworks were set off after hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Spectators watch hundreds of tall ships sail into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People dressed in sailor costumes watch hundreds of tall ships sail into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People dance as hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Orange smoke signals the start of the parade of hundreds of tall ships sailing into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The barkentine Antigua passes as hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital's harbor for the 10th edition of SAIL, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation on Saturday sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support following President Donald Trump's threat to punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the U.S. taking over the strategic Arctic island.

Delegation leader Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said the current rhetoric around Greenland is causing concern across the Danish kingdom. He said he wants to de-escalate the situation.

“I hope that the people of the Kingdom of Denmark do not abandon their faith in the American people,” Coons said in Copenhagen, adding that the U.S. has respect for Denmark and NATO “for all we’ve done together.”

Meanwhile, thousands of people marched through Copenhagen, many of them carrying Greenland’s flag, on Saturday afternoon in support of the self-governing island. Others held signs with slogans like “Make America Smart Again” and “Hands Off.” Another rally was planned in Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital,

Coons' comments contrasted with that emanating from the White House. Trump has sought to justify his calls for a U.S. takeover by repeatedly claiming that China and Russia have their own designs on Greenland, which holds vast untapped reserves of critical minerals. The White House hasn’t ruled out taking the territory by force.

“There are no current security threats to Greenland,” Coons said.

Trump for months has insisted that the U.S. should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

During an unrelated event at the White House about rural health care, he recounted Friday how he had threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

“I may do that for Greenland, too,” Trump said. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security. So I may do that,” he said.

He had not previously mentioned using tariffs to try to force the issue.

Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington this week with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

That encounter didn’t resolve the deep differences, but did produce an agreement to set up a working group — on whose purpose Denmark and the White House then offered sharply diverging public views.

European leaders have insisted it is only for Denmark and Greenland to decide on matters concerning the territory, and Denmark said this week that it was increasing its military presence in Greenland in cooperation with allies.

“There is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,” Coons said. “If we do things that cause Danes to question whether we can be counted on as a NATO ally, why would any other country seek to be our ally or believe in our representations?”

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Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report.

People gather for a pro- Greenlanders demonstration, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

People gather for a pro- Greenlanders demonstration, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

People march during a pro- Greenlanders demonstration, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Icicles hang from the roof of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A Danish serviceman walks in front of Joint Arctic Command center in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Senator Chris Coons from the Democratic Party speaks during a press conference with the American delegation, consisting of senators and members of the House of Representatives, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)