European leaders have issued a joint statement in response to reports that the US is discussing a “range of options” to acquire Greenland.
European leaders have not been amused by Donald Trump’s bullishness outside of his own borders after forcibly removing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and now threatening to take Greenland.
Greenland is of course an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, which also includes the Faroe Islands.
Since returning to office at the start of 2025, Donald Trump has been pressing for the acquisition of the territory of Greenland.
Following the action in Venezuela, Trump and his administration have ramped up their rhetoric about Greenland, with the president continuing to claim the US needs the territory for security and rare minerals, arguments that have been debunked by experts.
On Tuesday, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark rallied behind Greenland.
They said in a joint statement: “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.”
They finished by saying: “Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations.”
But just hours later, there was more sabre-rattling from the US as the White House refused to rule out using military force to acquire Greenland.
The White House said on Tuesday: “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the Commander-in-Chief’s disposal.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has already warned Trump to keep his hands off Greenland, a message that was echoed by Keir Starmer on Monday.