Starmer and European allies ‘will not stop defending’ Greenland amid US threat
US president Donald Trump has said taking over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, is vital for his country’s national security.
Sir Keir Starmer and European counterparts have said they will “not stop defending” Greenland’s territorial integrity in the face of continued threats from Donald Trump to annex it.
The Prime Minister and leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark called the US, as a Nato ally, an “essential partner” in defending Arctic security and stressed that Greenland “belongs to its people” in a joint statement.
The US president has insisted that taking over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, is vital for his country’s national security.
One of his senior aides said on Monday that nobody would mount a military fight against the US to defend Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that efforts to take over the territory by force would mean the end of the Nato military alliance.
Sir Keir and the other leaders said: “Nato has made clear that the Artic region is a priority and European allies are stepping up.
“We and many other allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries.
“The Kingdom of Denmark – including Greenland – is part of Nato.
“Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with Nato allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.
“These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.”
They called the US an “essential partner” in this endeavour due to its status as a Nato ally and through the 1951 defence agreement between the US and Denmark.
They said: “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller had cast doubt on the legitimacy of Denmark’s territorial claim over Greenland in an interview with CNN.
He also said there was “no need” to consider whether the US might carry out a military operation to take it over because “nobody is going to fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman sidestepped questions about whether the UK would be willing to mount a military fight to defend the territory, saying he did not want to “get into hypotheticals”.
Asked if Sir Keir sees Mr Trump as a threat to European security, he said “no”.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting earlier told Sky News that the UK and Nato were “doubling down” on their support for Denmark, adding that Greenland was “already part of the team” contributing to the alliance’s collective security.
He said: “At a time when we can see the security of Nato members and the alliance at threat, particularly from Russia, but also from our other adversaries, this is not the time to destabilise Nato and to undermine our collective security.”
Mr Streeting’s comments follow Ms Frederiksen’s remarks to Danish broadcaster TV2, in which she said: “If the United States chooses to attack another Nato country militarily, then everything stops.
“That is including our Nato and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.”
Sir Keir has previously said the UK “stands with” Denmark on Greenland.
On Monday, he told reporters that the territory’s future was a matter for the people of Greenland and Denmark alone.
