Il top at the White House on Greenland ended without an agreement, but also without formal ruptures. After about 50 minutes of conversation between the US Vice President JD Vance, the secretary of state Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Lars Løkke Rasmussen e Vivian Motzfeldt, the stalemate was openly admitted.
"We have not been able to change the United States' position," Rasmussen declared, acknowledging that President Donald Trump "clearly has a desire to conquer Greenland." This stance was firmly rejected by Copenhagen and Nuuk, who reiterated that any possibility of annexation is "not in the interests of the Kingdom of Denmark nor the Greenlandic people."
Rasmussen stressed, however, that the United States already has extensive military access to Greenland and that any American requests to strengthen the US presence on the island “will be examined constructively.”
Trump: National Security, NATO, and the Golden Dome
TrumpSpeaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he tried to tone things down: “We have a very good relationship with Denmark. I think that a solution will be found".
But the substance remains unchanged. For the American president, Greenland is "necessary for the national security of the United States", especially in light of the Golden Dome, new US missile defense systemIn a series of messages posted on social media before the summit, Trump argued that without American control of the island, the Arctic risks coming under the influence of Russia o China, also citing a Danish intelligence report signaling Moscow and Beijing's growing ambitions in the region.
In one of the harshest posts, Trump wrote that the NATO would become “much more formidable and effective” with Greenland under US control, adding that “anything short of this is unacceptable.”
Denmark and Greenland: "We don't want to be controlled by the US."
Nuuk's response was clear. "We don't want the United States to control us," Motzfeldt declared at the end of the meeting. Rasmussen reiterated that "any idea that doesn't respect Greenland's territorial integrity and its people's right to self-determination is totally unacceptable."
The Danish minister also recalled that the 1951 defense agreement It already allows the United States to freely use Greenlandic territory for military purposes, and in recent years, the US itself has reduced its bases and military personnel on the island. "We are ready to do more for Arctic security, in cooperation with NATO," he added, calling the discussion "frank and constructive," despite "fundamental differences."
Diplomacy yes, invasion no (for now)
The summit ended with a minimal result: the creation of a high-level commission between the United States, Denmark e Greenland for continue the dialogue in the coming weeks. A signal that, at least in the short term, the possibility of military action against a NATO ally remains off the table.
According to rumors reported by nbc, Washington would even set the purchase price from Greenland: 700 billion dollarsA figure that clarifies the Trump administration's highly transactional approach, but which has not convinced European interlocutors.
Europe on alert: troops and officers arriving in Greenland
Meanwhile, Europe is moving. Denmark has started the shipment of military materials and advanced command in Greenland, with the aim of preparing logistics and infrastructure for possible reinforcements. Alongside the Danes, Swedish officers have already arrived, while Norway, France, and Germany are participating in the military mission coordinated from Copenhagen.
Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson He explained that the deployment is taking place "at Denmark's request" and is part of preparations for the Operation Arctic Endurance exercise. According to the Greenlandic government, NATO military flights and ships will also increase in the area in the coming days.
Russia and China: a strategic threat, not an immediate one
Trump continues to raise the risk of Russian or Chinese expansion in the Arctic. In reality, Neither Moscow nor Beijing formally claims GreenlandBoth, however, have intensified scientific, economic, and military activities in the region, favored by the melting ice. This long-term strategic competition is making the island increasingly central, but it does not currently pose a direct and imminent threat.
NATO, EU and transatlantic relations under pressure
The Greenland affair sets a delicate precedent: one NATO ally laying claim to another ally's territory. For many European governments, it signals a growing rift in transatlantic relations.
The president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen He declared that the Greenlanders "can count on us," reiterating that their will would be respected. The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament approved a declaration condemning any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland as a violation of international law.
from France, which will open an embassy in Greenland on February 6, the Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu He urged people to take Trump's intentions "very seriously." From Berlin, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil He spoke of “certainties under pressure” and a direct challenge to the European liberal order.
Meanwhile, Trump remains confident: "We will find a solution." What that solution will be, however, remains to be seen. And above all, to be accepted, in Nuuk and Copenhagen.
