ALBAWABA- European leaders closed ranks on Tuesday in defense of Greenland, issuing a rare joint warning against U.S. threats to annex the Arctic territory and reaffirming Denmark’s sovereignty over the autonomous region.
French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a joint statement that “Greenland belongs to its people,” stressing that any attempt to seize the territory by force would violate international law and NATO principles. The declaration was issued on the sidelines of a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting on Ukraine in Paris.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed the show of solidarity, saying any American takeover of Greenland “would not be tolerated,” and warning that coercion against a NATO ally would set a dangerous precedent.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also voiced “absolute solidarity” with Denmark, pledging to uphold international norms and stability in the Arctic.
The coordinated response follows renewed rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has again raised the prospect of annexing Greenland, calling it “essential to U.S. national security” because of its strategic location, mineral wealth, and military value.
Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland in 2019, a proposal Frederiksen at the time dismissed as “absurd.” Recent comments from Trump allies have been more confrontational, fueling concern in European capitals.
EU officials reiterated their commitment to national sovereignty and territorial integrity, while U.S. lawmakers, including several Democrats, criticized the annexation threats as reckless and destabilizing. Greenlandic representatives, among them MP Aaja Chemnitz, urged stronger diplomatic preparedness to prevent escalation.
Trump's rhetoric risks inflaming tensions in the Arctic, potentially drawing in Russia and China, and undermining NATO unity at a moment of heightened global instability. The White House has not directly responded to the European statement, but diplomats expect the dispute to strain already fragile transatlantic relations.
