BERLIN — A coalition of European leaders issued a firm collective response on Tuesday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks regarding American acquisition of Greenland, explicitly affirming the Arctic territory’s right to self-determination. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in a strong statement of solidarity that emphasized Greenland’s status as belonging exclusively to its people.
The joint declaration came as a direct rebuttal to comments from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who asserted on Monday that Greenland should become part of the United States despite warnings from Danish leadership that such a move would effectively signal the demise of NATO. Miller characterized Greenland as essential to American security infrastructure during a CNN interview, stating the president had been ‘clear for months’ about this position.
President Trump justified his interest in the mineral-rich territory by citing escalating Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic region, telling reporters on Sunday that ‘Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place’ and emphasizing its strategic importance for national security. He questioned Denmark’s capacity to maintain control over the vast Arctic territory.
Miller further challenged the basis of Denmark’s territorial claim, referring to Greenland as a ‘colony of Denmark’ and questioning the legitimacy of Copenhagen’s sovereignty. However, he dismissed speculation about potential military intervention, asserting that no nation would confront the United States militarily over Greenland’s future.
The European leaders’ statement left no room for interpretation: ‘Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.’ This unified European position highlights growing transatlantic tensions over sovereignty issues and strategic territories in the rapidly changing Arctic landscape.