President: I feel that on the issue of Greenland some European partners should ease up a bit on gestures of reluctance towards the USA

On the issue of Greenland, some partners from Western Europe should ease up a bit on gestures of hostility toward the USA that are unnecessary for NATO and the European Union, President Karol Nawrocki stated. He added that the statements of US President Donald Trump give hope that the matter will be resolved diplomatically.

The ambitions of the USA to acquire Greenland were the main theme of Trump’s Wednesday speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. For the first time, the US president ruled out the use of force in it. He called for negotiations and threatened that he would remember if he heard a negative response. Later, however, he withdrew the threat of imposing 10 percent tariffs on goods from eight European countries that had decided to delegate representatives of their armed forces to Greenland.

Asked during Thursday’s conference in Davos whether he was reassured by these declarations of the US president, President Nawrocki replied that he had not been concerned and assessed that “we all took part in unnecessarily stirring up tensions, also in Europe, through the visit of NATO soldiers from the European Union to Greenland.”

He added that he himself did not feel threatened that within NATO, which is built “65 percent with financing from the United States, there could be some conflict over Greenland between allies within NATO in the face of so many threats that exist all over the world.”

In the president’s opinion, Wednesday’s statements by Donald Trump “give hope” that the issue will be resolved diplomatically between the authorities of Denmark and the USA “in the interest also of the inhabitants and authorities of Greenland themselves.” He added that from the beginning he was convinced that this is how it would be resolved.

“So I do not feel so much reassured as I feel that some of our partners from Western Europe should ease up a bit in this matter on such gestures of hostility toward the United States, which are unnecessary either for the North Atlantic Alliance or for the European Union. You will certainly not see Poland in this camp of countries,” he said.

Trump announced last Saturday that he would impose tariffs of 10 percent on eight European countries for their stance toward US claims to Greenland. On Wednesday he stated that “based on a very productive meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte” he had created with him a framework for a future agreement concerning Greenland and the Arctic region. In connection with this, Trump declared that he would not introduce tariffs on the eight countries, which were to come into force on February 1. Trump also reported that in the context of Greenland, talks are being held on the so-called Golden Dome, that is, the American defense system.

Rutte said on Fox News that the issue of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland was not a topic of his talks with President Trump. He also conveyed that it was agreed that the Arctic region requires collective protection.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared on Thursday that Denmark and Greenland will continue to conduct a constructive dialogue on security in the Arctic, on the condition that it is conducted with respect for the territorial integrity of her country. (22.01.26)