US President Donald Trump has ruled out invading Greenland during a much-anticipated speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“People thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force, I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force,” Trump announced.
But his lust for Greenland has not subsided and he made it clear he remains determined to purchase what he called the “big piece of ice”.
“I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States,” Trump said.
You’re reading the latest edition of FourGround, a bespoke newsletter brought to you by Channel 4 News’ experienced journalists reporting on the ground from locations across the world.
Strategic importance of Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Both have repeatedly ruled out handing it over to the US.
But Trump insists that Greenland is strategically vital for the US and nothing short of ownership will do.
“If there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice,” he said in the speech in Davos.
“Think of it, those missiles will be flying right over the centre of that piece of ice.”
Under American control, Greenland would be protected by a “golden dome”, Trump said, perhaps part of his sales pitch to Denmark and Greenlanders.
What other leaders said
Reacting to Trump’s speech, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said a promise not to use force was not an end to the crisis between Europe and the US.
“In isolation it’s positive that the president says what he does regarding the military, but that does not make the problem go away,” Rasmussen said.
“It’s clear from this speech that the president’s ambition is intact.”
Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch said Trump’s address was “in many ways not surprising”.
“This once again proves the EU needs to toughen up, we need to hold the line,” Busch told the news agency, Reuters, in Davos.
Tariffs and escalation
The US President’s rhetoric over Greenland escalated last weekend when Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on countries who had shown most support to Denmark.
Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and France have sent military personnel to Greenland in a limited deployment, while the UK has contributed one officer.
European allies said the “reconnaissance” force was part of “a planned Arctic Endurance exercise”.
France has now called for a Nato operation in Greenland. President Macron’s office said that France was prepared to contribute to such a force.
Having ruled out military action, it is unclear whether Trump will also drop his threat to impose tariffs of up to 25 % on the eight European countries.
What we learned on Tuesday
And former Prime Minister of Denmark – and ex-Nato Secretary General – Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Channel 4 News on Tuesday that Greenland was “not for sale”, adding that his only means of Trump acquiring the island would be by “conquering it, which would of course mean the end of Nato”.
Rasmussen also warned that Trump was the “biggest threat to world peace”.
Using force would mean “the future of Nato is at stake and the world order as we know it is at stake, so it is a very serious situation,” Rasmussen said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was planning “a massive European investment surge” in Greenland.
Where the EU and Nato agree with Trump is in the strategic importance of the polar region where melting ice is opening up new shipping routes.
“We are aligned. We are working together [with the US],” von der Leyen told MEPs in the European Parliament this morning.
“We share the same strategic assessment on Arctic security. And this is why the threat of additional tariffs for security reasons is simply wrong. If we are now plunging into a dangerous downward spiral between allies, this would only embolden the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of our strategic landscape.”
Trump already has access to the Arctic through Alaska. It also has a military base on Greenland through a long-term existing agreement with Denmark.
Focus off Ukraine
The crisis Trump has manufactured over Greenland has caused a huge distraction away from efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
With temperatures dropping to minus 20 C, close to two-thirds of the capital Kyiv is currently without power after days of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Trump insisted today that he is set on ending the war and would put pressure on both sides.
A deal is now “reasonably close,” he promised.
Trump is due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday.
Thanks for reading the latest edition of our free FourGround newsletter. Subscribe to keep up to date with Channel 4 News on Substack.
