The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to acquire Greenland, as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he is set to meet next week with officials from Denmark and Greenland to discuss the future of the strategic Arctic territory.
In remarks first reported by the Wall Street Journal, Rubio told lawmakers in a classified briefing this week that it is the Trump administration's intent to eventually purchase Greenland rather than use military force. His comments follow President Donald Trump’s statement that he was considering a wide range of options — including military action — to acquire the world’s largest island
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Scripps News that Trump and his team view control of Greenland as vital to U.S. security interests and are actively discussing how to pursue that goal as China and Russia expand their presence in the Arctic.
However, the leaders of seven European nations earlier this week issued a unified message on Greenland’s future. The statement, issued on behalf of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Denmark, said “Greenland belongs to its people” and emphasized NATO cooperation for decisions about the island’s security. Greenland is a territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
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“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up,” the statement reads. “We and many other Allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries. The Kingdom of Denmark — including Greenland — is part of NATO.”
“Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction 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 added. “These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.”
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