On Monday, the White House adviser Stephen Miller told CNN that the “formal position” of the U.S. government under President Trump is that Greenland — a part of the Kingdom of Denmark — should be part of the United States. In an interview on Wednesday with The New York Times, Mr. Trump stood by this claim. At a Thursday news conference, Vice President JD Vance said that when it comes to this issue, Europeans should take the president seriously.
Believe me: In Denmark, we do. When the president of the United States says something, we listen. Not just because our countries are allies in NATO, but because America is the most militarily powerful member of the alliance.
Another thing we take seriously is security in the Arctic. Denmark has long stressed to the rest of NATO exactly what Mr. Vance said in an interview on Fox News Wednesday: “Greenland is critical, not just to our national security, but to the world’s national security.” Indeed, Mr. Vance correctly identified the real threat in the Arctic: “If, God forbid, the Russians or the Chinese” launched a nuclear missile toward the United States or Europe, “Greenland is a critical part of that missile defense.” I could not agree more.
So, if Greenland is important to the entire Western world, then the entire Western world should contribute to increased security investments there. And Denmark is happy to lead this collaboration in consultation with Greenland. On this score, we have had close security cooperation with the United States for more than 70 years — an agreement between our two countries, signed in 1951, is still in place.
Mr. Vance pointed out in the same interview that he isn’t interested in rehashing the history of the alliance — like the fact that Denmark fought with America in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. Fair enough. Maybe we should all just look at what is being done now instead of arguing about the past, when NATO for too long looked at the Arctic as a low-tension area, Denmark underinvested and the United States closed more than a dozen military bases in Greenland. (The U.S. military’s Pituffik Space Base remains.)
There is, however, one point that must be addressed plainly. For one ally to say it should own the territory of another ally is not a negotiating position; it undermines the very principles on which our alliance rests. NATO is built on mutual respect for sovereignty, borders and democratic self-determination — including the right of the people of Greenland to decide their future. Security cooperation can and should be discussed openly and seriously. Territorial claims between allies should not.
Danes will always be open to discussions on how to strengthen Arctic security. What we’re not open to is the idea that if an ally wants to annex Greenland, Danes and Greenlanders have no choice but to hand it over.
Last year, Denmark announced that it would spend nearly $14 billion to purchase F-35 jets, ships and air defense equipment. The first and second parts of the Danish Arctic defense framework call for long-range and medium-range, ground-based air and missile defense systems, surveillance radar systems, drone acquisitions and Arctic vessels. We are also establishing an Arctic unit with a dedicated first-responder capability under the Special Operations Command, a new military unit under our Joint Arctic Command, and a new Joint Arctic Command Headquarters in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.
Most importantly — because Mr. Vance is right that the greatest threat to Western security in the Arctic is Russian or Chinese aggression — we have invested in enhanced satellite surveillance, including space-based maritime domain awareness and Arctic communications resilience.
It’s true that not all of that military hardware has been delivered, but in many cases we are waiting on production from American companies. It would be a great contribution to American, European and Arctic security if the U.S. government helped ensure that such orders are prioritized.
Yes, the real threat to America and Europe comes from Russia and China. To make all of us more secure, we need one another as allies in NATO. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are surely very happy any time they see us arguing. It is making no one safer. On the contrary.
For years, American presidents have pushed European nations to ramp up military spending. That should have happened long ago, but as the vice president said, let’s not argue about the past. Let us instead stay focused on the real threats the NATO alliance faces in the Arctic.
We are stronger together, unless we let our enemies divide us.
Ida Auken is a member of the Danish Parliament and a member of the Social Democratic Party.
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