The prospect of a US military invasion of Greenland is being treated with escalating seriousness by European powers, prompting urgent diplomatic consultations. France has confirmed it is coordinating with allies on a potential response, following suggestions from aides to former President Donald Trump that force could be used to seize the vast Arctic territory from Denmark.
European Powers Rally in Defence of Danish Sovereignty
The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, stated the matter would be a key topic at a meeting with his German and Polish counterparts on Wednesday. "We want to take action, but we want to do so together with our European partners," Barrot emphasised during an interview with France Inter radio. This move comes after European leaders issued a rare collective rebuke to Washington, firmly stating that Greenland "belongs to its people."
Denmark has framed the threat in the gravest possible terms. The nation asserts that an invasion by the United States—a fellow NATO member—would signal the definitive end of the Western military alliance and the collapse of the post-Second World War security architecture. In response to the growing crisis, the Danish parliament convened an extraordinary session on Tuesday night.
Contradictory Signals from Washington
The situation escalated after a leading Trump aide publicly floated the idea of using military force to acquire Greenland. Despite the subsequent European condemnation, the White House stated late Tuesday that Trump and his team were examining "a range of options" for acquisition, explicitly noting that the US military was "always an option."
However, Minister Barrot reported a conflicting message from a direct conversation with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. "I myself was on the phone yesterday with US secretary of state, Marco Rubio … who confirmed that this was not the approach taken," Barrot said, indicating Rubio had ruled out an invasion.
The Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Greenland's own Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, are now seeking an urgent meeting with Secretary Rubio to de-escalate tensions. "The shouting match must be replaced by a more sensible dialogue. Now," Rasmussen declared on social media.
Disputed Claims and a Broader Geopolitical Context
Trump's long-standing interest in Greenland has been amplified by claims that the island is "full of Chinese and Russian ships" and that Denmark is incapable of defending it—a notion Danish officials strongly reject. Following the extraordinary parliamentary meeting, Rasmussen dismissed this characterisation as a false representation.
"The image that is being painted of Russian and Chinese ships right inside the Nuuk fjord and massive Chinese investments being made is not correct," he asserted. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen further countered US claims of inadequate defence, highlighting a significant security investment of nearly 100 billion Danish krone (approximately £11.6 billion).
Analysts note that the rhetoric has intensified dramatically following the recent US military operation in Venezuela, which saw troops remove President Nicolás Maduro. This action has raised international tensions to a new peak, directly calling into question the cohesion and future of the NATO alliance.
