EU Leaders Unite Against US Greenland Takeover Threats

This week, U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States might acquire Greenland has sparked a wave of global backlash, with key EU figures denouncing the idea as an attack on territorial sovereignty. From Davos to Brussels, the message is clear: Greenland’s future belongs to its people.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, saying that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. “Sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable for any sovereign people,” she asserted.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reinforced this stance during a plenary debate in the European Parliament, stating that “Greenland belongs to its people. No threat or tariffs will change that. Sovereignty is not for trade.”

French President Emmanuel Macron went further, warning that Brussels should not hesitate to activate its anti-coercion mechanism in response to U.S. tariff threats linked to Greenland. Macron criticized the repeated use of tariffs as leverage, calling it “fundamentally unacceptable” when applied to questions of territorial rights.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever described Trump’s remarks as crossing “red lines” and said he would tell the U.S. leader so directly when they meet this week in Switzerland. “Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else,” De Wever remarked.

This episode has thrust the Arctic back into the spotlight, highlighting rising geopolitical competition in the region. The European Union has signaled that it will publish an upgraded Arctic strategy later this year, part of a broader plan to adapt to a “new security architecture” in the face of shifting global realities.

For young global citizens tracking the evolving landscape of international relations, the Greenland controversy offers a clear reminder: questions of sovereignty and multilateral cooperation are more pressing than ever. As Europe braces for its upcoming policy rollout, the world will be watching how unity and rule-based governance hold up against the strains of power politics.

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'Unacceptable': Condemnation grows over Trump's Greenland threats

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