The publication notes that the NATO bloc has not yet issued a public statement confirming the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland. In addition, it has not responded to Donald Trump’s statement that the United States intends to establish control over the island by any means.
This angered European countries that wanted to show unity, including around Denmark. European leaders recognized that the central role of the U.S. in NATO limits the response of their own nations. They believe that a passive stance in such a situation could increase Trump’s sense of impunity. In addition, the U.S. president can exploit Europe’s dependence on Washington for security issues.
Note that on January 10, Trump said that Washington was ready to do something about Greenland even without the consent of its inhabitants. At the same time, he accused Denmark of failing to adequately protect the island and invest in it.
According to the Financial Times, such statements have created a serious problem for NATO and the alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte personally. The attempted U.S. annexation of Greenland is a direct conflict between the allies. In addition, it violates Article 5 of the NATO Charter on collective defense.
