“NATO Secretary General assures that he is working on the Greenland issue behind the scenes, but cannot do it publicly”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
“Once I do that, I won’t be able to help in any way… de-escalate, de-escalate, etc. That’s why you won’t hear my comments. You can be sure that I am working on this issue behind the scenes, but I can’t do it publicly… The only way to solve this problem is, in the end, with thoughtful diplomacy,” said Mark Rutte.
“For the United States to stay safe, you need a safe Arctic, a safe Atlantic, and a safe Europe. And all the military and all the politicians in the USA know about it,” Rutte emphasized.
The top official agreed with US President Donald Trump and other leaders of NATO member states on the need to protect the Arctic given the increasing activity of Russia and China there.
“President Trump and other leaders are right, we have to do more there. We must protect the Arctic from Russian and Chinese influence,” Rütte summed up.
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum continues in Davos, Switzerland. Earlier, after a conversation with Rutte, Trump said he had agreed to a meeting of “different parties” in Davos regarding Greenland.
Read also: Trump accused Denmark of not being able to eliminate the Russian threat in Greenland: “it will be done”
Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to gain control over Greenland. The idea was first expressed by him in 2019 during the first presidential term. Trump argues that Denmark, whose autonomous territory is Greenland, has not done enough to protect it, and that the strategically located and mineral-rich island is vital to US security, and that the United States must own it to prevent it from being occupied by Russia or China.
On January 10, Trump said that Washington was ready to “do something” about the island even without the consent of its inhabitants. The White House mentioned the use of American armed forces, purchase and other methods as possible options for establishing control over Greenland.
Following these announcements, Denmark conducted the Arctic Resilience exercise in Greenland, which involved European countries including Germany, Sweden, France and Norway.
From February 1, the United States will introduce a 10% tariff on a number of European countries due to the “Greenland issue”, US President Donald Trump announced on January 17 on his Truth Social social network.
According to him, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Finland will fall under the new tariffs. The US president did not specify which goods would be subject to tariffs, nor did he explain the details of the decision, limiting himself to mentioning the “Greenland issue”.