EU reiterates commitment to national sovereignty after Trump’s Greenland remarks

The European Union has issued a restrained response to renewed comments by former US president Donald Trump regarding Greenland, reiterating its commitment to the principles of national sovereignty.

European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the bloc had “heard it before” and was standing by its previous position. Lead foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper stressed that the EU would continue to uphold national sovereignty, territorial integrity, the inviolability of borders, and the UN Charter.

She underlined that Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and that any change to its status would be for Greenlanders and Danes to decide. Pressed for a stronger reaction, the Commission declined to comment further, saying it expected all partners to respect sovereignty and international commitments.

EU avoids legal judgement on US role in Venezuela

Asked about developments in Venezuela, EU spokespeople said President Nicolás Maduro lacked the legitimacy of a democratically elected leader and that recent events offered an opportunity for a democratic transition led by the Venezuelan people.

However, they declined to characterise what had taken place in Venezuela, even when prompted to do so. Hipper reiterated that international law must be respected and that this was the EU’s expectation of all actors involved. When pressed on whether US intervention was legal under international law, she said it was too early to assess the situation fully, noting that the events had only just unfolded.