SALEN, SWEDEN — A senior European Union official warned on Monday that any unilateral United States military move to seize control of Greenland would constitute a fatal blow to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, told reporters at a security conference that he shared the grave assessment of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen regarding the Greenland annexation threat currently emanating from Washington. “I agree with the Danish Prime Minister that it will be the end of NATO,” Kubilius stated, adding that EU member states are under a treaty obligation to come to Denmark’s assistance if faced with military aggression.
The Collapse of Trust
The diplomatic fallout follows a series of escalating remarks from the White House since President Donald Trump’s return to office in 2025. Reuters reports that the administration’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, recently described the “formal position” of the U.S. government as being that Greenland should be a part of the United States. The rhetoric intensified significantly following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela on January 3, which has left European allies fearing that Greenland, a mineral-rich, autonomous territory of Denmark, could be the next target for what some call the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine.
European leaders have not remained silent. On January 6, a coalition of seven nations—France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Denmark – issued a rare joint declaration affirming that “Greenland belongs to its people” and that its future is for the Greenlandic and Danish governments alone to decide. The Guardian reports that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly sought to temper the president’s military threats by signaling a preference for a negotiated purchase, though Danish officials have repeatedly reiterated that the island is “not for sale.”
inventory_2Legal Context
The 1951 Defense Agreement between Denmark and the U.S. already grants Washington access to the Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule). However, legal experts argue that using this presence to launch a territorial annexation would violate the UN Charter and trigger Article 42.7 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, requiring member states to provide “aid and assistance by all the means in their power” to a victim of aggression.
What to watch next
- Washington Negotiations: Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers are scheduled to meet with U.S. officials this week to clarify the White House’s intent.
- Arctic Sentry Mission: Germany is reportedly proposing a new NATO mission to secure Greenland’s perimeter, aimed at deterring both Russian activity and U.S. unilateralism.
- Referendum Timeline: Greenlandic self-government is expected to release a report by late 2026 outlining a roadmap for full independence from Denmark, which may further complicate the U.S. strategy.
