EU parliament political group leaders have stepped into the row over the future of Greenland.
Its Conference of Presidents, comprising leaders from the mainstream groupings, has given its wholehearted support of
“multilateralism and the rules-based international order and supporting Greenland and Denmark.”
The European Parliament, in a strongly worded statement, said it stands firmly in support of multilateralism and the rules-based international order. Any attempt to what it calls “undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity”of Denmark and Greenland, “violates” international law and the United Nations Charter.
This comes after Denmark’s foreign minister said on Wednesday there is a “fundamental disagreement” with the US over Greenland after talks at the White House. Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his meeting with Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday had been “frank but constructive” and added that he thought Donald Trump was insisting on “conquering” Greenland which was “totally unacceptable”.
Rasmussen said,
“We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of Denmark.”
The EU parliament statement said the security of the Arctic was a strategic priority for the European Union, and it was “firmly committed to safeguarding it.”
It added,
“The EU’s Arctic Strategy goes beyond mere security concerns and our commitment to step up the sustainable development and cooperation with the citizens of the region is steadfast.”
The Kingdom of Denmark, including Greenland, is a NATO member and is fully covered by the Alliance’s collective security guarantees, it noted.
The European Parliament will “continue to reinforce” European defence capabilities and ensure that EU Member States uphold their NATO commitments, including through sustained investment in defence and a strong presence in the Arctic region,the MEPs said.
Arctic security is ensured within the NATO framework, and Denmark maintains agreements with key partners, including the United States, to protect the region,the leaders asserted.
It went on,
“Decisions concerning Denmark and Greenland belong to Denmark and Greenland alone, in accordance with the relevant constitutional arrangements and agreements between Denmark and Greenland.”
The leaders recalled that in 1916, the United States – through an agreement with Denmark – declared that Denmark had full sovereignty over Greenland.
“With this agreement, the United States thus recognised that all of Greenland rightfully constituted Danish territory. External attempts to alter the status quo are unacceptable,”
says the statement.
It said,
“The European Parliament unequivocally condemns the statements made by the Trump administration regarding Greenland, which constitute a blatant challenge to international law, to the principles of the United Nations Charter and to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a NATO ally. Such statements are unacceptable and have no place in relations between democratic partners.
“The European Parliament calls the European Commission and the European Council to define concrete and tangible support to Greenland and Denmark, upholding EU principles and law, international law and the NATO Charter,”
it concluded.
Separately, Ciarán Cuffe, co-chair of the European Green Party said,
“Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and its future can only be decided by its people, in full respect of international law. The language used by US president Donald Trump mirrors the discourse employed by Putin on Crimea and Donbas prior to its illegal attack on Ukraine.
History shows where such imperialistic rhetoric leads. Reverting to the so-called “law of the strongest” undermines international security and makes the world less safe for everyone.”
President Trump has repeatedly said acquiring it is vital to US national security.
The BBC noted that the US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland’s north-western tip, a facility that has been operated by the US since World War Two.Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the power to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland, it says.
