The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland strongly condemn Trump's remarks, warning of the potential for disastrous consequences.
What you should know
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a stark warning that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would end if Greenland were acquired by the United States, her remarks came after US President Donald Trump called for Greenland to be brought under American control.
The US military's covert operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas on Saturday morning has sparked global outrage. The incident has raised concerns in Denmark and Greenland, which are both semi-autonomous territories under the Danish state and part of NATO.
Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen have strongly condemned US President Trump's remarks, warning that the consequences could be catastrophic. Most European leaders have expressed solidarity with the move.
‘If the US decides to launch a military attack on another NATO member state, the security system established after World War II will end,’ Frederiksen said in an interview with Denmark’s ‘TV 2’. ‘President Trump’s statement that he wants Greenland is serious, Denmark and Greenland cannot accept such a dangerous situation.’
After President Trump said on Sunday, ‘Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days,’ there has been an increase in suspicions that US intervention in Greenland may occur. President Trump had said that Greenland should be brought under US jurisdiction even in the early stages of his second term.
Prime Minister Nielsen has urged the people to remain calm and united, saying that Greenland cannot be compared to Venezuela at a press conference. ‘The US cannot easily win Greenland,’ he said. Trump has criticized Denmark’s efforts to strengthen Greenland’s security.
He has claimed that Greenland is necessary for US national security, citing the presence of Russian and Chinese ships as the reason. But Ulrik Pramgaard, an expert at the Danish Institute for International Studies, said that even if such ships exist in the Arctic, they are far from Greenland.
The Pitufik Space Base, located in northwest Greenland, is operated by the US Department of Defense. Established after a Danish-US defense treaty in 1951, the base has played an important role in missile warning, defense and space surveillance.
US-Danish military cooperation has also been going on in mainland Denmark. Denmark passed a bill last year to allow a US military base on its territory. However, some have said that this raises questions about Denmark's sovereignty.
Europe strongly objects to Trump's statement on Greenland
European leaders have also disagreed with US President Trump's statement that the US should acquire Greenland. They have insisted that the strategic and mineral-rich Arctic island of Greenland belongs to its people.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom have expressed solidarity with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and stressed the need to firmly defend the sovereignty of Greenland, a self-governing territory under the Kingdom of Denmark. Following Trump's recent comments, European leaders issued a joint statement saying that Greenland cannot be the subject of acquisition by any external power.
While recognizing Greenland's strategic importance, European leaders have signaled that they will not back down on this issue, making it clear that respect for its sovereignty and self-government is the basis of international rules and partnerships.
