Europe Unites Behind Denmark After Trump Revives Greenland Annexation Threat
Several European countries have moved to publicly support Denmark after renewed statements from the United States asserting that Washington must gain control of Greenland. The reaction followed comments from Donald Trump, who said on Sunday that the United States “needed” Greenland for security reasons. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory that remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which is also a fellow member of Nato. Trump declined to rule out the use of force to take control of the island, prompting concern among European allies and sharp responses from Danish leaders.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark reaffirmed their position that Greenland’s future can only be decided by those directly involved. “Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations,” the statement said. The declaration stressed that while Arctic security is a shared concern, it must be handled collectively by Nato allies and in accordance with international law, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders under the UN Charter.
The comments from Trump have heightened tensions within Nato, an alliance built on the principle that members come to each other’s defence in the event of an external attack. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Monday that any attack by the United States on Greenland would effectively bring Nato to an end. Her remarks underscored the seriousness with which Denmark views the statements, particularly given that both countries are long-standing allies within the trans-Atlantic military bloc.
The renewed focus on Greenland emerged in the aftermath of a US military intervention in Venezuela, where elite American troops entered the country, seized President Nicolás Maduro, and transported him to New York to face drugs and weapons charges. Following the operation, Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela for an unspecified period. He also stated that Washington was returning to an 1823 policy asserting US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere and warned that other countries could face similar attention. These developments have reignited fears in Europe that the United States might consider using force to secure control of Greenland.
Those concerns intensified a day after the Venezuela raid when Katie Miller, the wife of one of Trump’s senior aides, shared an image on social media showing Greenland coloured like the American flag, accompanied by the word “SOON.” On Monday, her husband, Stephen Miller, said it was “the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the US.” Speaking to CNN, he argued that the United States is “the power of Nato” and that for Washington to secure the Arctic region and protect Nato interests, “obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”
When repeatedly asked whether the United States would rule out using force to annex Greenland, Miller declined to do so, responding instead: “Nobody’s going to fight the US over the future of Greenland.” His remarks further alarmed European governments, which have sought to emphasise diplomacy and collective security over unilateral action.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the joint statement from the European leaders and called for calm engagement. “The dialogue must take place with respect for the fact that Greenland’s status is rooted in international law and the principle of territorial integrity,” Nielsen said. The seven European signatories echoed this view, stressing that Arctic security should be addressed cooperatively by Nato allies, including the United States, rather than through threats or coercion.
Trump has argued that incorporating Greenland into the United States would advance American security interests because of the island’s strategic Arctic location and its deposits of minerals considered critical to high-tech industries. However, recent moves by the Trump administration, including the appointment of a special envoy to Greenland, have angered Danish officials, who see such actions as undermining established diplomatic norms.
Greenland has a population of about 57,000 people and has exercised extensive self-government since 1979, although defence and foreign policy remain under Danish control. While many Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls consistently show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the United States.
That sentiment was reflected in comments from residents on the island. Morgan Angaju, a 27-year-old Inuit living in Ilulissat in western Greenland, told BBC Newsbeat that it had been “terrifying to listen to the leader of the free world laughing at Denmark and Greenland and just talking about us like we’re something to claim.” He added: “We are already claimed by the Greenlandic people. Kalaallit Nunaat means the land of the Greenlandic people.” Angaju said he was deeply concerned about what might happen next, questioning whether Greenland’s prime minister could face the same fate as Maduro or whether the United States might even consider “invading our country.”
