Prime Minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, called on NATO allies to come together to defend international law by opposing US President Donald Trump’s latest comments on the Arctic island.
Trump expressed his frustration with NATO’s reluctance to get involved in the war against Iran that he launched with Israel, saying in a social media post that the military alliance was not there when needed and would not be there ‘if we need it again.’ REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG AND POORLY MANAGED PIECE OF ICE’.
Nielsen rejected the characterization.
‘We are not a piece of ice. We are a proud population of 57,000 people, working every day as good global citizens in full respect of all our allies,’ he told Reuters.
Nielsen highlighted the importance of maintaining the post-war geopolitical order, including the NATO defense alliance and globally respected international law.
‘These things are being challenged now, and I think all allies should come together to try to maintain them. I hope that happens,’ he said.
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Diplomatic talks continue
NATO allies were already scrambling earlier this year to find ways to keep the alliance together after Trump revived his effort to seize Greenland from NATO member Denmark.
In January, the White House said Trump was considering the use of military force in Greenland, prompting Germany, France and other European nations to send small contingents of troops to the island in a message of solidarity and deterrence.
Trump later backed down after talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, declaring that ‘the framework of a future agreement’ had been formed and moving the Greenland conflict to a diplomatic track. His last post on social media about the island came after a new meeting with Rutte on Wednesday.
In late January, Greenland, Denmark and the US began diplomatic talks and Nielsen said they were still ongoing, with more meetings scheduled.
Trump and his supporters have insisted that the US needs Greenland to defend itself against threats from Russia and China in the Arctic and that Denmark cannot guarantee its security.
The US already has a base on the island and the ability to expand its presence there under a 1951 treaty.
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“It would be strange, when all parties want to discuss increasing defense cooperation, not to take into account this (1951) agreement,” Nielsen said, declining to go into further detail about what was being discussed in the negotiations.
Despite the talks, Nielsen made it clear that he doesn’t believe Trump has abandoned his ambitions for the island: ‘I don’t see that his desire to take over or control Greenland has been taken off the table,’ he said.
