Europe worried: NATO silent on Trump's Greenland threats, says FT

The outlet notes that NATO has still not issued a public statement affirming the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland in response to Trump’s ambitions regarding the island.

Comment from Rutte

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has been "unusually absent" on this critical security issue, while proposals from France and other EU countries to strengthen NATO's activities in Greenland have not yet been accepted.

"Rutte was supposed to be the man Europe could rely on to be our Trump-whisperer. But he wasn’t supposed to be this quiet," told the outlet one of the EU officials.

Rutte made only one comment on the matter, in which he supported Trump’s assessment of increased Russian and Chinese activity in the region, as well as the need to strengthen security measures.

"Look at Denmark, they are investing heavily in their military. And the Danes are totally fine if the US would have a bigger presence (in Greenland - ed.) than they have now. So I think this collectively shows that we have to make sure that the Arctic stays safe," he said.

Trump’s impunity and Article 5

European officials acknowledge that NATO’s silence could reinforce Trump’s sense of impunity in dealings with allied countries and his leverage over the EU’s dependence on the US for security matters.

"Since we’re clearly talking about nations that are all NATO allies, NATO should initiate a serious debate on this in order to reduce or ease the pressure on the issue. The debate is a debate that must involve NATO," emphasized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

If the US were to invade Greenland or attempt to annex the island, Article 5 on mutual defense would be called into question, as it would constitute a direct conflict between two allies.

"Of course, it is difficult to discuss these things inside NATO. But if you don’t, it implies that we are all OK with what is going on," said one NATO diplomat.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart told the Financial Times, "While we’re not going to disclose details of diplomatic discussions, the Secretary General is working closely with leaders and senior officials on both sides of the Atlantic, as he always does."

Trump’s statements on Greenland

Recently, US President Donald Trump has increasingly spoken about his desire for Greenland to become part of the United States. According to him, this is necessary for protection against Russia and China.

The American leader believes that if the island does not become part of the US, it will be seized either by Beijing or Moscow.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has already warned that if the US attacks Greenland, "everything stops, including NATO."