(AFP, News): European leaders on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for Denmark following renewed remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Greenland, Denmark’s autonomous Arctic territory.Leaders from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark emphasized that sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders are “universal principles” that must be upheld.
Concerns about Greenland have resurfaced amid U.S. military activity in Venezuela. The island is rich in untapped rare earth minerals and could gain strategic importance as melting polar ice opens new shipping routes. Greenland also lies along the shortest missile path between Russia and the United States and hosts a U.S. military base.Trump, in a Sunday remark, said Greenland could be “addressed in about two months,” prompting European leaders to stress the importance of Arctic security for international stability.
“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority, and European allies are stepping up,” the statement said, highlighting increased investments, activities, and military presence to deter potential threats. The leaders underscored that Greenland, as part of Denmark, is a NATO member and that Arctic security must be maintained collectively with NATO allies, including the U.S., in accordance with UN principles of sovereignty.“Greenland belongs to its people.
Decisions concerning Denmark and Greenland rest solely with them,” the statement concluded.The declaration was signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. They reaffirmed that the U.S. remains a key partner in ensuring Arctic security.
