Leaders from major European powers have just expressed support for Denmark and Greenland in a joint statement, saying the Arctic island belongs to its people, following renewed interest by US President Donald Trump in taking over the Danish territory.
“Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” said the statement by leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark.
The leaders said that security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively with NATO allies, including the United States.
Trump has said repeatedly he wants to take over Greenland and told The Atlantic magazine on Sunday: “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”
A US military operation at the weekend, which led to the capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has further rekindled concerns among Washington’s NATO allies that Greenland might face a similar scenario.
Some context: Greenland is the world’s largest island with a population of 57,000 people. It is not an independent member of NATO but is covered by Denmark’s membership of the Western military alliance.
The island’s strategic location between Europe and North America makes it a critical site for the US ballistic missile defense system. Its mineral wealth also aligns with Washington’s ambition to reduce reliance on Chinese exports.
Credit: cnn.com
