Europe backs Denmark, Greenland amid Trump’s Greenland comments

The text of a joint statement by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was published on the Danish government’s website, Ukrinform reports.

The leaders stressed that security in the Arctic remains a key priority for Europe and is of critical importance to international and transatlantic security.

“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up. We and many other Allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries,” the statement reads.

It emphasizes that Denmark, together with Greenland, is part of NATO, and therefore security in the Arctic must be ensured collectively, in cooperation with NATO allies, including the United States, in line with the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders.

“These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them. The United States is an essential partner in this endeavour, as a NATO ally and through the defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States of 1951. Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the leaders stressed.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated the possibility of annexing Greenland due to its strategic location and natural resources. In an interview with The Atlantic, he said that Venezuela might not be the last country to experience U.S. military intervention. “We do need Greenland,” Trump said, explaining that the Danish island is “surrounded by Russian and Chinese warships.”

The Danish Prime Minister called for an end to threats regarding a possible seizure of Greenland and warned that if U.S. President Donald Trump were to invade Greenland, it would mean the end of NATO.

Greenland is an autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark. It has had self-government since 2009, while Denmark remains responsible for defense and foreign policy. Geographically, the island belongs to North America, but politically it is part of Europe.

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