Europe rallies behind Greenland following US interest
Leaders of major European powers have rallied behind Greenland, saying the Arctic island belongs to its people in a joint statement after US President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in seizing Danish territory.
Trump has repeated in recent weeks that he wants to take control of Greenland; The idea was first floated during his first presidency in 2019, arguing that it was vital to the US military and that Denmark was not doing enough to protect it.
The US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend, which captured its leader, has reignited concerns that Greenland may face a similar scenario. Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States.
In the statement made by the leaders of France, England, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark, “It belongs to the people of Greenland. It is up to Denmark and Greenland to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland, and they alone.”
Leaders said that security in the Arctic should be ensured together with NATO allies, including the United States.
“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up,” the statement said. “We and many other Allies have increased our presence, activities and investments to keep the Arctic secure and deter adversaries.”
Denmark can count on the solidarity of all of Europe on the issue of Greenland, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday.
“No member should attack or threaten another member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Otherwise, NATO loses its meaning if conflict or mutual conflicts occur within the alliance,” Tusk told reporters in Warsaw.
In his statement to X, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that the Netherlands fully supports the joint statement.
To fend off US criticism of Greenland’s defense capabilities, Denmark last year pledged 42 billion Danish kroner ($A9.79 billion) to increase its military presence in the Arctic.
But White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller brushed aside concerns about Denmark’s sovereignty and international law in comments likely to alarm Washington’s European allies.
“You can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in the real world, a world ruled by power, ruled by power, ruled by power,” Miller told CNN on Monday.
“There’s no need to think about it, or even talk about it, in the context of a military operation. No one is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller added.
Just hours after Saturday’s Venezuela operation, Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, posted a map of Greenland painted with Stars and Stripes over an X with the text “COMING SOON.”
Greenland, the world’s largest island with a population of just 57,000, is not an independent member of NATO but is part of Denmark’s membership in the Western military alliance.
The island’s strategic location between Europe and North America makes it a critical region for the US ballistic missile defense system. Mineral wealth also dovetails with Washington’s desire to reduce dependence on Chinese exports.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Monday that his government was trying to strengthen ties with the United States and that citizens should not fear the United States coming to power soon.
