Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has declared her nation is facing a 'fateful moment' and stands at a 'crossroads' amid escalating threats from former US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland. Frederiksen accused the United States of potentially turning its back on the NATO alliance by threatening a fellow member state.
A Crucial Week for Diplomacy
The stark warning was delivered during a party leader debate in Nyborg on Sunday, ahead of a pivotal week in the increasingly tense relations between Denmark, Greenland, and the US. The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Vivian Motzfeldt, are scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the coming days.
Frederiksen's comments were a direct response to Trump's statement on Friday, in which he asserted the US would act on Greenland 'whether they like it or not'. He outlined a binary approach: 'We’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way.' His administration has repeatedly declined to rule out the use of military force, despite both Denmark and Greenland being longstanding NATO allies.
Greenland's Unified Stance and International Support
In a powerful rebuke, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the leaders of the country's four other political parties issued a united statement. 'We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,' it read. 'The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.'
Frederiksen revealed that while she has seen Trump since a phone call about Greenland a year ago, the topic has not been discussed. She stated Denmark is 'doing everything we can to make our position prevail in an American reality' but must 'stand firm' on the issue. She framed the situation as a clear-cut choice between right and wrong, describing it as a 'conflict over Greenland'.
The Danish leader confirmed receiving 'massive support from the countries in NATO'. This sentiment was echoed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who spoke at a national defence conference in Sälen. He argued the US should thank Denmark for its loyalty rather than issue 'threatening rhetoric' against it and Greenland.
Broader Regional Concerns
Kristersson also condemned a recent US attack on Venezuela, stating it violated international law and 'risks encouraging more countries to act similarly'. Against this backdrop of heightened geopolitical tension, Sweden announced a significant investment of approximately 15 billion Swedish kronor (£1.21 billion) into its territorial air defence capabilities.
'The world we know continues to be shaken,' Kristersson observed. 'Take it seriously, but don’t panic. We shouldn’t be afraid, but we should be prepared.' His words underscore the wider European concern triggered by the rhetoric from Washington, which challenges the foundational principles of the Western alliance and places small nations like Denmark in an unprecedented diplomatic dilemma.
