European leaders have warned the US that Greenland “belongs to its people” in a joint statement released on Tuesday.
It comes after president Donald Trump said that Greenland’s annexation would be imminent, saying he wanted the Arctic territory “right now”.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” read the statement signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain, and Denmark on Tuesday, rejecting Mr Trump’s plans for the territory.
“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
The declaration continued: “Arctic security remains a key priority for Europe and it is critical for international and transatlantic security. Nato has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European allies are stepping up.
“We and many other allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries. The Kingdom of Denmark – including Greenland – is part of Nato.
“Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with Nato allies, including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.
“These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.
“The United States is an essential partner in this endeavour, as a Nato ally and through the defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States of 1951.”
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, warned that a US takeover of Greenland would mark the end of Nato, earlier this week.
“If the United States chooses to attack another Nato country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen told state broadcaster TV2 on Monday. “That is, including our Nato and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.”
On Sunday, the American leader said the Arctic island is “so strategic right now” and that annexation would benefit both the European Union and the US, days after the shock capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” he told The Atlantic. “We need it for defence.”
The comments come amid a string of barely veiled threats to a group of other countries over the weekend as Trump warned Mexico to “get its act together” and indicated to Colombian president Gustavo Petro that his country could be the next to face military action.
The US leader has had his eyes on the territory since 2019, when he first publicly floated the idea of purchasing the territory from Denmark, which runs it as an autonomous and self-governing entity.
Greenland holds a largely untapped wealth of natural resources, including oil and gas as well as natural earth minerals, zinc, copper, nickel and graphite. Its geographical location, positioned between the North American Arctic and Europe, also makes it appealing to Mr Trump for strategic reasons.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump’s comments sparked waves of condemnation across Europe, with statements reiterating the territorial integrity of Greenland released by the EU, and European countries, including Nato members France, Germany, the UK, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Finland and Iceland, which emphasised their vehement opposition to the plan.
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