Greenland Strongly Opposes U.S. Plans to Take Over
The government of Greenland has said that it “cannot under any circumstances accept” President Donald Trump’s offer to take over the island. The statement comes after the U.S. president said again that he wanted to buy the mineral-rich Arctic territory and warned that the U.S. would “claim it one way or the other.”
The answer shows that Greenland is determined to stay self-governing within the Kingdom of Denmark. Officials stressed that the island’s defense and foreign relations are based on NATO, and they rejected any idea that Greenland could break away from its Danish and transatlantic commitments.
Source: RNZ
Denmark and Greenland Push for a Diplomatic Solution
Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland’s foreign minister, and Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s foreign minister, are set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to talk about the growing disagreement. Both officials have said again that Greenland “is not up for sale or transfer.” They point to current defense agreements that give the U.S. a lot of military rights on the island.
Denmark has pointed to the 1951 defense treaty, which allows the US to build more bases in Greenland as part of NATO’s joint security. Copenhagen still supports diplomacy and asks Washington to follow international law and respect the sovereignty of its allies.
NATO Stresses the Security of the Arctic as a Whole
Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, said that the alliance is making plans to strengthen defenses in the Arctic as competition between countries grows. Rutte said while he was in Croatia that NATO members know how important the Arctic is for shipping routes that are opening up because of melting ice.
Rutte said, “Allies agree on the importance of Arctic security,” and he warned that Russia and China are becoming more active in the area. He went on to say that talks were going on to coordinate the deployment of equipment and training missions, but there are still no formal plans in place.
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European Leaders Say NATO Could Fall Apart
European leaders are worried about Trump’s comments about possibly using force to take Greenland. Andrius Kubilius, the EU’s defense commissioner, said that this kind of action would “mark the end of NATO.” He said that EU member states would have to protect Denmark by law.
Kubilius said that if Denmark was attacked, Article 42.7 of the EU treaty would call for collective help. He said, “Member states have a duty to act if another member is attacked.” Greenland is not part of the EU, but Kubilius said that military action would have serious political effects on transatlantic unity.
Allies Seek to Contain Tensions Diplomatically
Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, downplayed worries about U.S. aggression by telling reporters that he had “no indication” of serious plans to take the land. Instead, he said that allies have a “common interest” in working together to deal with problems in the Arctic.
This week, a group of U.S. senators from both parties, including Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, is expected to go to Copenhagen to meet with Danish lawmakers. Murkowski spoke out against the idea of taking Greenland, saying it “should not be on the list” of U.S. territorial goals. The goal of the delegation is to get Congress to support diplomatic engagement again.
Greenlandic Leaders Call for Accurate Information
Aaja Chemnitz, head of the Danish parliament’s Greenland committee, said that the visit by U.S. senators was a chance to set the record straight. She said that there were “lots of false claims” going around about Greenland’s status and that direct communication was necessary to keep things stable.
Chemnitz stressed that the government of Greenland values open communication with its allies, but it will not let anyone take away its independence. “It’s very important that the facts are clear and that all diplomatic channels stay open,” she said.
European Politicians Propose Arctic Integration
Robert Habeck, who used to be Germany’s vice-chancellor, suggested that Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands should all join the EU to make the region more Western. Habeck wrote in The Guardian that the geopolitical situation has “completely changed” since Greenland left the European Community in 1985 and that Europe should respond strategically.
He wrote that this kind of move could put European control over Arctic governance and balance out the interests of the U.S. and China. Analysts see the proposal as a sign of growing worry about the Arctic’s role in global power dynamics, even though it is mostly symbolic.
China Criticizes U.S. Position on Greenland
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, criticized what Washington said, saying, “The Arctic concerns the interests of the entire international community.” She said that Beijing’s actions in the area are focused on peace, stability, and long-term growth. She also asked all countries to respect the legal rights of others in Arctic matters.
Beijing’s response shows how Greenland has become a key player in the global race for power in the Arctic. While the U.S., EU, and NATO talk about their plans, Greenland’s leaders have made it clear that the island’s independence and ties to Western allies are not up for discussion.
