Trump’s Remarks on Greenland Stir Reaction

“There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be... attack its sovereign borders,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio.

“We are a strong continent. We need to strengthen ourselves more,” he added.

Barrot described Greenland as “European territory”. Greenland is associated with the European Union through Denmark, of which it is a self-governing
territory.

In a rambling news conference on Jan. 7, Trump refused to rule out military intervention over the Panama Canal and Greenland, both of which he has said he wants the United States to control.

“We need Greenland for national security purposes,” he declared.

His comments coincided with a private visit by his son Donald Trump Jr. to the mineral- and oil-rich autonomous Danish territory on Jan. 8. 

“If you ask me: ‘is the United States going to invade Greenland?’ the answer is no,” said Barrot.

But he added: “We have entered an era that is seeing the return of the law of the strongest.”

“Should we be intimidated? Should we be overcome with worry? Evidently, no,”

“We need to wake up and reinforce ourselves, militarily, in competition, in a world where the law of the strongest prevails.”

Barrot said he believed that the United States is “inherently not imperialistic” and said he “did not believe” that it is changing.

Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before he takes office on Jan. 20, Trump left open the use of the American military to secure both territories.

Trump’s intention marks a rejection of decades of U.S. policy that has prioritized self-determination over territorial expansion.

“I’m not going to commit to that,” Trump said, when asked if he would rule out the use of the military.

“It might be that you’ll have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country.”

He added, “We need Greenland for national security purposes.”

Greenland is home to a large U.S. military base.

Addressing Trump’s comments in an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the United States Denmark’s “most important and closest ally,” and that she did not believe that the United States will use military or economic power to secure control over Greenland.

Source: Reuters