Could Greenland spark conflict between US and Europe? Expert weighs in
US President Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
Despite all the tough statements by US President Donald Trump regarding Greenland, a real conflict with European countries over the island is unlikely to occur. Trump is deliberately "raising the bar" — this is his negotiating style, said Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the international committee of Ukraine's parliament, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Merezhko noted that he does not believe a conflict between the United States and Europe over Greenland is real. He reached this conclusion after studying Donald Trump, his books, and his behavior.
"His style is not that of a diplomat, but of a businessman. Some people perceive this as a slightly aggressive style of negotiating deals. He himself writes about this that he deliberately raises the bar, sets it very high, and then starts negotiations," the lawmaker explained.
He added that Trump's statements so far do not cross the "red lines" of international law. At the same time, the issue of Greenland is indeed of great importance for US security: Trump speaks about this quite openly, saying that he does not want the island to fall "under the influence of Russia or China."
"But the question is how to achieve this. I am convinced that this must be done within the framework of international law, without violating the territorial integrity of Greenland. I think that, more likely, some kind of compromise will be found that will not affect or destroy the international legal order in the region. But this also means that each state must have a clear position," Merezhko concluded.
Greenland and Trump
After a recent operation in Venezuela, US President Donald Trump once again turned his attention to Greenland. The American president insists on transferring Greenland under US control to deploy the Golden Dome missile defense system, warning that without urgent action by NATO, the strategic island could come under the control of Russia or China.
For her part, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that Greenland is not for sale and that its residents decide their own future. Meanwhile, the island's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said that the option of joining the United States is rejected on the island and that they prefer to remain in union with Denmark.
In response, Trump lashed out at Nielsen, threatening to have "big problems." On January 14, the US president published two posts at once. In the first post, demanding that Greenland be transferred under US control, he said this was allegedly necessary for the construction of the Golden Dome missile defense system. In the second, he openly demanded that Denmark abandon the island.
At the same time, the United States could pay up to $700 billion simply to buy Greenland. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already been tasked with preparing a proposal. The White House is avoiding a military option — especially given that Danish forces have been reinforced on the island, Swedish and Norwegian troops have also been sent there, and German and French forces are on the way.
