Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a stark warning that any American takeover of Greenland would spell the end of the NATO military alliance. Her comments, delivered on Monday to Danish broadcaster TV2, came amid escalating tensions following US President Donald Trump's renewed demands for control over the strategic Arctic island. Frederiksen emphasised that a US military attack on a NATO member—Greenland being a semiautonomous territory of Denmark—would shatter the post-Second World War security framework.

The Danish leader's remarks were prompted by Trump's persistent calls during his presidential transition and early second term for US jurisdiction over Greenland. Trump has not ruled out military force, and his Sunday statement to reporters—"let's talk about Greenland in 20 days"—has intensified fears of an imminent intervention. This 20-day timeline has deepened apprehensions in Copenhagen and Nuuk, especially in the wake of a US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend.

That dead-of-night raid in Caracas, which captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, has left the world reeling and heightened Danish and Greenlandic concerns.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen joined Frederiksen in condemning Trump's rhetoric during a Monday news conference. Nielsen insisted that Greenland cannot be equated with Venezuela and urged his people to remain calm and united, stressing that the US cannot simply conquer the island.

Frederiksen underscored the gravity of the situation, stating that Trump "should be taken seriously" when he expresses intent to acquire Greenland. She vowed that Denmark and Greenland would not tolerate such threats, signalling a firm resolve to defend territorial integrity. Numerous European leaders have voiced solidarity, reflecting broader continental unease over US intentions under the new administration.

Trump has also derided Denmark's security efforts in Greenland, mocking them on Sunday as merely adding "one more dog sled" to the territory's arsenal. Flying back from Florida, he highlighted Greenland's strategic value amid claimed Russian and Chinese naval presence, asserting that Denmark lacks the capability to secure it. However, global security expert Ulrik Pram Gad from the Danish Institute for International Studies has countered this, noting in a recent report that such foreign vessels remain distant from Greenland's shores.

The US already maintains a foothold through the Pituffik Space Base in north-western Greenland, established under a 1951 defence agreement. This facility supports missile warning, defence, and space surveillance for both the US and NATO. Yet, provocative social media posts, such as one from former Trump official Katie Miller depicting Greenland under the Stars and Stripes with the caption "SOON," have further inflamed tensions. Denmark's ambassador to Washington, Jesper Møller Sørensen, responded firmly, demanding respect for Danish territorial integrity.

On the Danish mainland, longstanding US-Danish military ties persist, including recent purchases of F-35 fighter jets. Last year, Denmark's parliament approved expanded US access to air bases, building on a 2023 agreement. Critics decry this as a surrender of sovereignty, arguing it broadens American military footprint on Danish soil.

This crisis unfolds against a backdrop of Arctic geopolitics, where Greenland's mineral wealth and location draw intensifying interest from powers like Russia and China. Opinion polls show 85% of Greenlanders oppose US acquisition, fuelling debates on independence from Denmark. While most parties favour sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency remains a prerequisite, amid priorities like education, health, and development.

Frederiksen's rhetoric marks a shift; observers like TV2 journalist Ask Rostrup note that she once dismissed takeover fears outright, but Trump's escalation now demands acknowledgment.

The Venezuelan operation has catalysed this, positioning Greenland as a flashpoint in transatlantic relations. European leaders, gathering in Brussels for defence talks, grapple with uncertainties over US commitments, Russia's Ukraine war, and Trump's tariff threats.

Nordic and Baltic nations, including Denmark, have pledged more aid to Ukraine, underscoring Europe's push for autonomous defence capabilities. Ukrainian weapon production now outpaces continental efforts, prompting calls from Frederiksen herself for Europe to ramp up output. As Trump eyes Greenland for national security, Denmark braces for potential rupture in NATO's foundational trust.

The island's path to independence, outlined in its 2009 self-rule law, gains urgency. Professors like Frederik Waage affirm that constitutional mechanisms exist without Danish amendments. Yet, Trump's unpredictability—echoed in Greenland PM Múte Bourup Egede's past defiance—complicates this trajectory.

Frederiksen's declaration frames a US move on Greenland as NATO's demise, testing alliance bonds forged over decades. With Pituffik as a reminder of cooperation, the row exposes fissures widened by Trump's Arctic ambitions and recent Latin American assertiveness. Denmark stands resolute, backed by Europe, as the 20-day clock ticks amid global strategic realignments.

Based On AP Report