Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has firmly restated the UK's position on Greenland, asserting that the territory's future must be decided solely by its people and the Kingdom of Denmark. This comes amidst continued and stark warnings from Washington about potentially using "military means" to acquire the strategic Arctic territory.
Diplomatic Calls and Deterrence in the High North
Sir Keir engaged in a series of high-stakes diplomatic conversations on Thursday, 8th January 2026. He spoke separately with both US President Donald Trump and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. A Downing Street readout confirmed that in his call with the Danish leader, the Prime Minister "reiterated his position" on Greenland.
Both leaders also agreed on the critical need to deter Russian aggression in the High North, a region that includes Greenland. They concurred that the NATO alliance should enhance its efforts in the area to protect Euro-Atlantic interests. Sir Keir echoed this sentiment in his discussions with President Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Pressure to Rule Out UK Base Use for US Action
The Prime Minister is facing mounting domestic pressure to explicitly rule out any British support for potential US action against Greenland. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Sir Keir to pledge that UK military bases would not be used to facilitate an American attack on the Danish territory.
Sir Ed expressed deep concern, stating the UK "must never play midwife to American aggression directed against our NATO allies." He urged the Prime Minister to "spell out to Trump and his lawless cabinet that the UK will never support such a dangerous act."
This demand follows revelations that UK bases and personnel supported a recent US operation to seize an Iranian oil tanker in the Atlantic. Downing Street declined to comment directly on Sir Ed's call, describing it as "slightly hypothetical," but stressed the PM's position on Greenland had been made "very clearly."
Cabinet Defends US Alliance Amid Rising Tensions
Despite the alarming rhetoric from Washington, senior Cabinet ministers have moved to publicly reaffirm the strength of the UK-US relationship. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the United States as "a close and very trusted partner of our nation."
Her colleague, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, added: "The United States is a reliable ally. We believe that to be the case, we see that every day."
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy is expected to further underscore the "special relationship" during a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Thursday. The two long-standing friends are likely to discuss Greenland, among other topics, during Mr Lammy's visit to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
In comments at the White House, Vice President Vance advised European leaders to take President Trump's concerns about Greenland seriously, warning that if allies did not address security concerns over the territory, "the United States is going to have to do something about it."
The UK, along with European allies, issued a joint statement earlier this week pledging they would "not stop defending" Greenland's territorial integrity, a clear signal to the US administration.
