A number of leaders in Europe issued a joint statement in support of Denmark. They oppose United States (US) President Donald Trump‘s plan to control the Greenland region.
European leaders who signed this statement include French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
“Arctic security remains a top priority for Europe and is of vital importance for international and transatlantic security,” the European leaders said in a statement. AFPTuesday (6/1/2026).
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
They stated that Denmark, including the Greenland region, was part of NATO. These European leaders asked America to respect a country’s territorial sovereignty.
“Therefore, security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively, together with NATO allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders,” the leaders said.
“These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them,” he continued.
Despite declaring America an important NATO ally, the European leader’s statement emphasized that Greenland belongs to its people, not America.
“Greenland belongs to its people. Denmark and Greenland, and only they, have the right to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” they said.
Previously, Danish Prime Minister (PM) Mette Frederiksen strongly criticized the talk of Greenland’s annexation by the United States (US). He warned that the US takeover of Greenland would mean the end of the NATO military alliance.
His comments came in response to statements by US President Donald Trump, who again called for bringing the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island under US control. Trump made this call after the US attack on Venezuela last weekend.
The operation by US troops in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela to arrest leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife shocked the world. This raised concerns in Denmark and Greenland, which are semi-autonomous regions of the Danish kingdom and therefore part of NATO.
Frederiksen and Greenland’s PM, Jens Frederik Nielsen, condemned Trump’s comments and warned of severe consequences. Many European leaders expressed solidarity with them.
“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything will be over,” Frederiksen told Danish television station TV2 on Monday (5/1) local time. “That is, it includes our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War,” said the Danish leader, as reported by the news agency. Associated PressTuesday (6/1/2026).
Page 2 of 2
(ygs/fca)
