Donald Trump's harsh statements about bringing Greenland under US control stirred European political circles. According to The Economist, the leaders of the Old Continent are considering several strategic directions to preserve the sovereignty of the island and respond to pressure from Washington.
Option 1: Mitigate tension and make sure
The European Union's first goal is to dispel Trump's concerns that "if we don't take it, Russia or China will take it."
- Negotiations: On January 18, a high-level working group headed by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lyokke Rasmussen will discuss this issue.
- Arctic Guardians: Germany proposes to create a joint "Arctic Guardian" mission within NATO. Experts believe that rumors about Arctic waters overflowing with Russian ships are unfounded and exaggerated.
Option 2: Restriction and retaliation measures
If negotiations are unsuccessful, Europe is ready to exert economic and military pressure:
- Economic shock: halting newly signed trade agreements with the US and tightening control over American tech giants (Big Tech).
- Radical steps: Close U.S. military bases in Europe or publicly sell European assets in U.S. government bonds.
- Military consolidation: The Council of Europe recommends the deployment of European troops in Greenland on a rotational basis. In particular, 6 countries, such as France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway, have already decided to send their military units to the island.
Option 3: Distraction and time-saving
The third scenario is the hope that Trump's attention will be drawn to other, more significant events:
- Internal problems: The midterm elections in November 2026 could shift Trump's focus to domestic politics.
- External conflicts: the situation in Iran and the fading "euphoria" after the Venezuelan operation may put the Greenland issue to the background.
- Negotiation method: According to analysts, Trump's harsh rhetoric could be a simple tactic used to force Denmark to make concessions in resource extraction.
Currently, the Danish government has allocated additional funds for the region's defense. European politicians also do not rule out the possibility of imposing sanctions against American companies seeking to exploit Greenland's resources without the permission of local authorities.
Do you think that sending troops to Greenland by European countries will completely sever relations between the US and NATO?
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