Greenland clings to NATO in bid to thwart Trump takeover

2 hours ago 1

Nuuk: Greenland is turning to NATO allies to stop US President Donald Trump from claiming control of the territory after days of growing dispute over its sovereignty, ahead of a meeting in Washington to negotiate the stark differences.

NATO leaders are canvassing new steps to bolster security in the Arctic against Russia and China, displaying a show of “collective defence” after Trump’s claims highlighted divisions over the future of the alliance.

Danish military forces participating in exercises with NATO near Nuuk, Greenland, in September.

In another provocative remark about security, Trump declared it would “save a lot of money” for the US to withdraw from NATO and said he doubted any of the allies would help the US in an emergency, despite this being in the pact’s terms.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt in the US capital on Wednesday.

Taking a firm line ahead of that meeting, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a statement on social media early on Tuesday (AEDT) to emphasise that any security test for the territory was an issue for NATO.

“Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and part of NATO through the commonwealth,” he said.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen says any security tests for the territory are an issue for NATO, not the US.

“This means that our security and defence belong in NATO. That is a fundamental and firm line.

“There has been a lot of international attention on our country in recent years. Also in NATO. That in itself is positive. Our country has strategic importance, and our security is important. For us. For our allies. And for stability in the Arctic.”

The statement included a photograph of the prime minister and all members of the governing coalition outside the parliament in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.

By highlighting membership of the Danish commonwealth, the statement contrasts with calls from others in the parliament, such as Naleraq party leader Pele Broberg, for a rapid move to break ties with Copenhagen and seek a separate defence pact with America.

Greenlanders told this masthead they were anxious about the clash over their future because Trump had not ruled out using force to take their land, although some dismissed the chances of military action to force the issue.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned in recent days that any move against Greenland would threaten the NATO alliance, the central pact since 1949 in preserving security among the US, European countries and Canada.

Trump sent mixed signals about NATO on Sunday when questioned by reporters on Air Force One, saying he “saved” the alliance by getting European countries to spend 5 per cent of their economic output on defence.

“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland, and I am not going to let that happen,” he said.

“I would love to make a deal with them, it’s easier, but one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”

Asked if that would compromise NATO, he said it would “save a lot of money” if the US left the alliance.

“I like NATO. I just wonder ... if we needed NATO, would they be there for us? I’m not sure they would,” he said.

European leaders have discussed ramping up military operations in the region to send a signal to the US, according to Reuters and several other media outlets’ reports on a discussion about a joint operation called Arctic Sentry.

Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, this week.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the leaders were talking about further steps in the Arctic, although he did not criticise Trump and his remarks about Greenland.

“All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security, because we know that with sea lanes opening up, there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active,” Rutte said at a press conference in Croatia.

“As an alliance together with our seven Arctic allies, we have to work together to make sure that the Arctic stays safe. And currently we are discussing the next step to that.”

The seven Arctic allies in NATO are the US, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark (and therefore, Greenland).

The US has a missile defence base in the far north of Greenland, a legacy of monitoring stations set up during the Second World War.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, an independent group based in London and Washington, said on Monday that under existing pacts with Denmark and Greenland, the US could expand its military operations if it wanted to.

“Under current treaty arrangements, nothing prevents the US from increasing its military presence in Greenland,” said IISS senior fellow Charlie Edwards.

He said a deal on Greenland based on consultation and consent could bolster security, but warned that division would weaken that security.

The US Congress has not backed Trump in his approach to Greenland, and the Associated Press reported that a bipartisan Congressional delegation would head to Copenhagen this week to show unity on the issue.

Democrat Senator Tim Kaine, who ran for vice president in 2016, said on Sunday that Congress would prevent Trump and his team from taking military action over Greenland.

“I think Congress will stop them, both Democrats and Republicans,” he told CBS.

“This would be disastrous. It wouldn’t just be America First. It wouldn’t just be the end of NATO, it would be America alone.”

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