European leaders marshaled support for Greenland on Tuesday, urging the United States to respect its sovereignty and the importance of NATO cooperation as the Trump administration repeatedly threatens to seize the semiautonomous Danish territory.
In a joint statement released with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, the leaders of France, Germany, Britain and other nations emphasized Greenland’s inclusion within NATO, the defense alliance that includes the United States. They wrote that Arctic security, a priority of the alliance, could be achieved only by upholding principles in the United Nations Charter of “sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.”
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
The show of solidarity comes as President Trump, emboldened by his capture of Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, has suggested he could take action against other countries and reiterated his desire to seize Greenland. On Sunday, Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.”
Greenland is rich in rare-earth minerals used to make in-demand items like batteries and cellphones, and it is largely located within the Arctic Circle, where the world’s superpowers are fighting for dominance.
Stephen Miller, a powerful Trump aide, argued in a CNN interview with Jake Tapper on Monday that Greenland rightfully belonged to the United States. Mr. Miller did not answer directly when asked repeatedly whether he would rule out military force, saying that “nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.”
“We live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” he said. “These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.”
Mr. Trump has said for years that he wants to take control of Greenland, but his renewed threats have been met by increasing concern and defiance from Denmark. Ms. Frederiksen said on Monday that the threats must be taken seriously and would spell the end of NATO if acted upon.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, who signed the joint statement from European leaders, said on Tuesday that the threats would likely loom over a meeting of European leaders about Ukraine’s security. “Denmark can count on the solidarity of all of Europe,” he told reporters in Warsaw.
Canada also expressed support for Greenland on Tuesday after its prime minister, Mark Carney, held separate meetings in Paris with Ms. Frederiksen and Secretary General Mark Rutte of NATO. Mr. Carney said Canada’s foreign minister, Anita Anand, and its governor general, Mary Simon, would visit Greenland in February, where they will be opening a consulate.
In a statement thanking European leaders for their support, Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland called on the United States to “seek respectful dialogue through the correct diplomatic and political channels,” writing that the Trump administration’s threats were challenging “very basic international principles.”
Anushka Patil is a Times reporter covering breaking and developing news around the world.
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