Greenland says defense belongs to NATO, not US, as Russia watches
823 Mins Read
Greenland’s government said Monday it would step up efforts to ensure the defense of the Arctic territory remains firmly under NATO, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed assertion that the United States must take over the strategically located island.
The comments came amid growing international reaction to Trump’s push and remarks from a senior Russian official that Greenlanders could theoretically vote to join Russia.
Greenland insists on Nato framework
Greenland’s coalition government said all NATO members, including the United States, share responsibility for defending the island, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
“As part of the Danish commonwealth, Greenland is a member of NATO and the defence of Greenland must therefore be through NATO,” the government said in a statement. It added that it could “in no way accept a U.S. takeover of Greenland.”
Trump has argued that Washington needs to own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying the minerals-rich territory, citing its strategic importance for U.S. national security.
EU warning over Nato’s future
European Union Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said earlier Monday that any U.S. military takeover of Greenland would mark the end of NATO.
His remarks echoed wider concern among U.S. allies that a unilateral move against Denmark or Greenland would undermine the western alliance.
Longstanding US interest, growing resistance
Trump first floated the idea of a U.S. takeover of Greenland in 2019 during his first term. The proposal has faced resistance in Washington, including from members of his own Republican Party, as well as firm opposition from Denmark and Greenland.
While Denmark ruled Greenland for centuries, the island has steadily moved toward greater self-rule since 1979. Independence is a long-term goal shared by all political parties represented in Greenland’s parliament.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen underscored the territory’s stance in a LinkedIn post.
“We are a democratic society that makes our own decisions,” he wrote. “And our actions are based on international law.”
Russia comments on Greenland debate
In Moscow, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Greenlanders could vote to join Russia if Trump did not act quickly, according to remarks reported by Interfax.
“Trump needs to hurry,” Medvedev was quoted as saying, suggesting — without evidence — that Greenland’s roughly 55,000 residents could hold a sudden referendum to join Russia. “And then that’s it. No new little stars on the U.S. flag.”
Russia makes no territorial claim to Greenland, but it has long tracked the island’s role in Arctic security because of its location along North Atlantic routes and the presence of a major U.S. military and space surveillance facility.
Arctic tensions intensify
The Kremlin has not commented directly on Trump’s renewed push for Greenland. However, Russian officials have previously described the Arctic as a zone of Russia’s national and strategic interests and said they were watching the “rather dramatic” debate over Greenland closely.
Arctic cooperation has been badly strained since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. As climate change opens new shipping routes and access to resources, competition in the region has intensified, adding to the stakes surrounding Greenland’s future.
