The European Union must respond to US President Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, MEPs Lucia Yar (RE/PS), Milan Uhrík (ESN/Republika), Katarína Roth Neveďalová (unaligned/Smer-SD) and Branislav Ondruš (unaligned/Hlas-SD) agreed in interviews for TASR on Tuesday. At the same time, some of them called for the EU to start looking for new strategic partners.
In short:
- MEPs demand the EU’s response to Trump’s threats about Greenland
- The EU must protect territorial integrity and international law
- Diplomatic pressure and strengthening of the military presence in Greenland should be considered
- They suggest looking for new strategic partners outside the US
Yar considers Trump’s ambitions absurd. “He has apparently decided to embody in his positions all the suspicions of deep-seated imperialism that the rest of the world accuses of the United States. We are not living in the 19th century, and thanks to international law the world functions in relative peace and living standards rise,” she noted.
EU diplomatic pressure
According to her, the EU must do everything to defend the territorial integrity of Europe and preserve international law as a basic pillar of international relations. He therefore considers the EU’s reaction to be necessary. “I’m glad he’s doing it. Traditionally, since it’s a long-term ally, it starts with political and diplomatic pressure. I also appreciate the strengthening of the troops of some EU member countries directly in Greenland,” she added, adding that the leaders will discuss other options for response at Thursday’s summit in Brussels.
She further emphasized that the EU should face the situation confidently and assertively. “As the EU, we are not only the largest trading partner of the USA, but also an investment and security partner, and above all we share values. That is also why the Union cannot be cornered by Trump just because of the absurd words of the President of the Union,” she declared.
Search for strategic partners
Uhrík pointed out that, in his opinion, Europe is innocent in this conflict. “Denmark did nothing wrong, the United States simply decided that they wanted to acquire the territory of Greenland, voluntarily, under the pressure of tariffs or even militarily. Europe must react to this,” he concluded.
According to him, the Union should quickly present a package of countermeasures in the event of the introduction of tariffs by Washington, and in the event that the dispute is not resolved, consider the search for alternative strategic partnerships, for example with China.
“We have to realize that if Europe loses Greenland, it will also lose the last vestiges of respect in the world. It will be a message to the whole world that they can do what they want with us,” he warned, adding that after the recent US actions in Venezuela, statements about Greenland should not be taken lightly.
EU options and international law
Roth Neveđalová perceives Donald Trump’s ambitions as a violation of international law and a potential threat of world armed conflict. “I agree with the opinion that this is a potential threat of the demise of NATO as an alliance, because it can be perceived as a potential attack by one member against another,” she pointed out.
She further underlined that Denmark is part of the EU, and therefore the Union cannot agree to take over its territory. At the same time, however, she pointed out that the block’s possibilities are very limited. “Of course, the best is diplomacy, joint action and discussion with the USA. However, Greenland is an autonomous territory and has the right to self-determination also according to the UN Charter. Therefore, if its citizens democratically decide for their own independence, or to join any union with the United States, this is also possible,” she added, adding that such an act should be well thought out, legal and voluntary.
EU and new challenges
Ondruš called the American president’s statements and political actions a sign of hostility towards the EU. “No other country in the world has ever threatened us with military aggression if our member country does not ‘voluntarily’ hand over part of its territory to it. No other country in the world has launched an intelligence operation against a member country with the aim of secession,” he emphasized.
In his own words, he has been warning for a long time that the United States is no longer an ally for the EU, but at least a rival or even an enemy. He sees the current situation as “a consequence of the ideological blindness not only of representatives of the European Commission, but also of many European leaders. It is a slap that these blind people asked for. And they deserve it,” he said. Ondruš called on the Union to look for partners who respect it.
