The European Union could help provide security for Greenland if Denmark requested it, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space said on Monday, warning that a US military takeover of the Arctic Island would signal the end of NATO.
US President Donald Trump has said the United States must own Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from occupying the strategically located, minerals-rich region, arguing that a US military presence there is insufficient.
Denmark and the United States, both NATO members, are due to meet this week to discuss Greenland. Greenland and Denmark have both insisted the territory is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled out taking it by force.
“I agree with the Danish prime minister that it will be the end of NATO, but also among people it will be also very, very negative,” European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told Reuters at a security conference in Sweden.
He said it would have a “very deep negative impact among the people and on our transatlantic relations”.
Trump responded on Truth Social on Monday, writing: “I’m the one who SAVED NATO!!!” without giving further details or context.
Kubilius said he did not believe a US military invasion was imminent, but stressed that Article 42.7 of the EU treaty obliges member states to assist any member facing military aggression.
“It will depend on very much on Denmark, how they will react, what will be their position, but definitely there is such an obligation of member states to come for mutual assistance if another member state is facing military aggression,” he said.
Kubilius questioned the logic of occupying Greenland by force and warned it would damage every aspect of US-European relations, including trade.
“Who will recognise that occupation and what impacts on all the relationship in between of the United States and Europe, including, for example, trade, where also Americans can face quite painful negative consequences,” he said.
He added that the EU could strengthen Greenland’s security at Denmark’s request, including through troop deployments and military assets such as warships and anti-drone systems.
“That’s for military people to say what Greenland or the Arctic defence needs. Everything is possible,” he said.
Kubilius also said Europe must continue building its own military capabilities regardless of US support, warning that any American withdrawal from NATO would be extremely difficult.
“It will be a very big challenge to be ready to defend Europe, being independent, being without the United States,” he said.
“The question would be how we can use in that case NATO structures, how they can be, you know, become a basis for European pillar of NATO. But NATO such as it is now definitely will not exist anymore.”
Trump said last week the United States would always support NATO and that Russia and China only feared the alliance as long as Washington remained a member.
Many NATO countries have significantly increased defence spending since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, following pressure from Trump for European allies to invest more in their own security.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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