Greenland’s government has said it “cannot under any circumstances accept” President Donald Trump’s desire to take control of the vast Arctic island, as Nato moves to bolster security in the region. The largely self-governing Danish territory stressed its status as part of the kingdom of Denmark and a member of the alliance, where it intends to pursue its defence.
The statement came as Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, said the organisation was working on ways to improve Arctic defences in response to concerns about Russian and Chinese activity. Speaking in Croatia, he said all allies agreed on the importance of Arctic security, with sea lanes opening up and the risk of increased activity from Moscow and Beijing.
Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, and her Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, are due to meet US secretary of state Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday. Denmark has pointed to a 1951 treaty that already allows the US to expand its military presence on the island, while insisting Greenland is not for sale.
Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, played down the risk of unilateral US action, saying he had no indication that such a move was being seriously considered. However, the EU’s defence commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, warned that any military force against Greenland would mean the end of Nato, adding that EU member states would be obliged to come to Denmark’s aid under the bloc’s mutual assistance clause.
Nato diplomats said some allies had floated proposals for new missions, equipment deployments or exercises in the Arctic, but discussions were at an early stage. A group of US senators, including Lisa Murkowski, is also due to visit Copenhagen for talks with Danish politicians on Greenland.
