EU reacts to Trump's threat to "absorb Greenland"
Brussels characterized the likelihood of a US attack on Denmark’s autonomous territory as "a highly theoretical issue." Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The European Commission has stated that a potential US attack on Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is “a highly theoretical issue.”
Brussels expressed skepticism about the likelihood of US President-elect Donald Trump deploying American troops to take control of Greenland upon his return to the White House, while emphasizing the importance of respecting the sovereignty of EU member states.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of employing military force to bring Greenland and the Panama Canal under US control. He asserted, “It might be that you will have to do something… We need Greenland for national security purposes.”
Later that day, the European Commission’s chief spokesperson, Paula Pinho, referred to the President-elect’s comments as “highly speculative.” She added, “There are many threats that do not materialize, and at this stage, we do not believe it is necessary to go beyond this.”
Pinho noted that any attack on Greenland would invoke the EU’s mutual defense assistance clause under Article 42 of the bloc’s treaty but reiterated that this scenario remains “a highly theoretical issue.”
European Commission foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper, also addressing the matter on Tuesday, stated she “will not go into the specifics” regarding Trump’s comments. She emphasized that “the sovereignty of states has to be respected,” a principle that fully applies to Denmark.
Hipper expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with the forthcoming US administration on “a stronger transatlantic agenda and common goals and issues of key strategic interest.”
In recent weeks, Trump's revived interest in Greenland comes after his previous offer to buy the territory during his first presidential term. Denmark has consistently maintained that Greenland, the world’s largest island—rich in gold and uranium and believed to have significant oil reserves in its territorial waters—is not for sale.
During the same press conference, Trump argued, “people really do not even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it.”
Earlier this week, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland, spending several hours in the territory’s capital, Nuuk. He conveyed to the island’s population of approximately 57,000, “We are going to treat you well,” accompanied by aides and a documentary film crew.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
Brussels expressed skepticism about the likelihood of US President-elect Donald Trump deploying American troops to take control of Greenland upon his return to the White House, while emphasizing the importance of respecting the sovereignty of EU member states.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of employing military force to bring Greenland and the Panama Canal under US control. He asserted, “It might be that you will have to do something… We need Greenland for national security purposes.”
Later that day, the European Commission’s chief spokesperson, Paula Pinho, referred to the President-elect’s comments as “highly speculative.” She added, “There are many threats that do not materialize, and at this stage, we do not believe it is necessary to go beyond this.”
Pinho noted that any attack on Greenland would invoke the EU’s mutual defense assistance clause under Article 42 of the bloc’s treaty but reiterated that this scenario remains “a highly theoretical issue.”
European Commission foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper, also addressing the matter on Tuesday, stated she “will not go into the specifics” regarding Trump’s comments. She emphasized that “the sovereignty of states has to be respected,” a principle that fully applies to Denmark.
Hipper expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with the forthcoming US administration on “a stronger transatlantic agenda and common goals and issues of key strategic interest.”
In recent weeks, Trump's revived interest in Greenland comes after his previous offer to buy the territory during his first presidential term. Denmark has consistently maintained that Greenland, the world’s largest island—rich in gold and uranium and believed to have significant oil reserves in its territorial waters—is not for sale.
During the same press conference, Trump argued, “people really do not even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it.”
Earlier this week, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland, spending several hours in the territory’s capital, Nuuk. He conveyed to the island’s population of approximately 57,000, “We are going to treat you well,” accompanied by aides and a documentary film crew.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
