Donald Trump’s expansionist threat over Greenland is not “over and done” yet, even if the prospect of a military intervention remains improbable, says Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s foreign affairs minister, as he reaffirms his offer to deepen cooperation with Washington to strengthen security in the highly strategic island.
His warning comes as Denmark assumes a greater role in the bloc’s politics as the presidency of the EU Council.
“We do not consider a military annexation as anything which likely could happen. Not at all. Having said that, it’s not that we consider this case solved,” Rasmussen said last week during a briefing with journalists, including Euronews, in the city of Aarhus.
“I’ve always been arguing that you should take Trump seriously but not necessarily literally. But I also realised that these two things come closer and closer in comparison with his first term. So we take it very, very seriously.”
Earlier this year, the US president sent shockwaves across Europe when he publicly refused to rule out the possibility of employing military force or economic coercion to seize Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Unlike his first term, when Trump approached the sprawling island as a potential real estate transaction, which Copenhagen flat-out rejected, his renewed push has been framed under the lens of national security, portraying it as an acquisition that must happen “one way or the other” for the sake of American interests.
The focus on Greenland stems from its rich deposits of mineral resources, which are crucial to manufacturing cutting-edge technology, and its strategic position in the Arctic Ocean, which is set to increase over time as climate change melts the ice.
“I think we’re going to have it,” Trump has said.
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world.”
The pitch has so far failed to convince Greenland’s 56,000 citizens: a vast majority of them oppose being part of the US, according to opinion polls. The recent elections yielded a four-party coalition government in defence of self-determination.
Denmark, in the meantime, is rolling out a new plan worth 14.6 billion kroner (€1.95 billion) to boost military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
“We’ve realised that there are issues linked to Greenland and the Arctic in terms of security. And we are also ready to cooperate with the Americans to approach this,” Rasmussen said, referring to the 1951 defence agreement between Denmark and the US.
“But it can never be about annexation, of course.”
“So it’s not that I have the feeling that this is over and done. It’s not,” he added, noting there could be “other attempts” to manipulate the Greenlandic society through interference campaigns, not “necessarily” conducted by the US government itself.
European solidarity
With Trump holding onto his territorial ambitions and his deputies making controversial trips to the island, European leaders have closed ranks to build a common front that can deter the White House from committing an act of aggression that would violate the core principles enshrined in the UN Charter and irreversibly fracture the Western alliance.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa have publicly expressed unconditional support for Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. (Although Greenland is not a member of the European Union, Brussels estimates it would be covered by the clause of collective defence.)
“It is absolutely time to focus more on the Arctic,” von der Leyen said on Thursday during a visit to Denmark.
Ahead of a G7 summit last month, French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to the island and met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
During the symbolic visit, Macron described Trump’s words as a “wake-up call for all Europeans” but said the US would never do “something aggressive against another ally”.
“Let me tell you very directly that you’re not alone,” Macron said in a press conference. “This flag you have here is our common flag.”
For Rasmussen, this display of European solidarity is essential for his country, which has fewer than six million people and a minuscule army compared to that of America.
“We should not underestimate the importance of Macron’s visit to Greenland,” the foreign minister said. “I’m informed that many other European leaders are ready to visit Greenland. But we also have to play this carefully. I know there’s a lot of solidarity that could be showcased, if needed.”
Rasmussen admitted there was still deep uncertainty about the exact nature of Trump’s ambitions for Greenland, given the president’s unpredictable decision-making process, which his deputies are often unable to grasp and communicate to their international counterparts, but insisted he was “calm and optimistic” about the situation.
“We have to figure out what is actually, in substance, the problem or the possibility,” he said. But “I think we can overcome this in a peaceful way.”
