“I’ll by no means assist the thought of preventing allies. However in fact, if the US places robust phrases on Europe, we want a collective and sturdy response,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen advised reporters in Brussels as EU leaders gathered for defence talks.
Greenland, residence to a big US army base, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a very long time US ally.
Final month, Trump left open the likelihood that the American army could be used to safe Greenland, in addition to the Panama Canal.
“We’d like Greenland for nationwide safety functions,” he mentioned.
Frederiksen mentioned she has “nice assist” from her EU companions on the actual fact “that everyone has to respect the sovereignty of all nationwide states on the planet, and that Greenland is right this moment part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It’s a part of our territory and it’s not on the market.”
She acknowledged US considerations about safety within the Arctic Area, the place Russia and China have been more and more lively.
“I completely agree with the People that the Excessive North, that the Arctic area is turning into an increasing number of essential once we are speaking about defence and safety and deterrence,” Frederiksen mentioned, including that the US and Denmark may have “stronger footprints” in Greenland, in safety phrases.
“They’re already there they usually can have extra potentialities,” she mentioned, underlining that Denmark itself may “scale up” its safety presence.
“If that is about securing our a part of the world, we are able to discover a manner ahead,” Frederiksen mentioned.
Final week, her authorities introduced a roughly 14.6 billion kroner ($AUD3.25 billion) settlement with events together with the governments of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands to “enhance capabilities for surveillance and sustaining sovereignty within the area.”
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It might embody three new Arctic naval vessels, two extra long-range surveillance drones and satellite tv for pc capability, the Defence Ministry in Copenhagen mentioned.
Frederiksen’s remarks got here as EU leaders met for defence talks however with no clear signal but from Trump about how he intends to attempt to finish Russia’s conflict on Ukraine.
The Europeans worry that any try to drag collectively a fast deal wouldn’t be beneficial to Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary-Basic Mark Rutte had been set to affix the bloc’s 27 leaders at a self-styled “retreat” at Egmont Place within the Belgian capital.
The summit agenda focuses on EU-US cooperation, army spending and ramping up Europe’s protection business.
Trump already slapped duties on European metal and aluminium throughout his first time period.
“We had been listening fastidiously to these phrases, and naturally we’re getting ready additionally on our facet,” EU overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas mentioned.
However, she underlined, “there aren’t any winners in commerce wars. If … the US begins a commerce conflict, then the one laughing on the facet is China. We’re very interlinked.”
