...
By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latvia and Estonia rallied behind their NATO ally Denmark over Greenland after U.S. President Donald Trump again made clear he wants control of the Arctic territory for national security reasons.
The two Baltic allies fear Russian invasion after Moscow's war in Ukraine and the Kremlin is looking for signs that NATO is becoming too weak or divided to rally to their defense.
Trump's seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from Caracas in a stunning U.S. military operation has shaken the global order and intensified concern that he will eventually move on Greenland too, despite it belonging to NATO's Denmark.
Read More on World
"Greenland is an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and no decisions concerning Greenland can be made without the involvement of both Greenland and Denmark," said Margus Tsahkna, foreign minister of Estonia, in a post on X.
"Estonia stands in full solidarity with our Nordic-Baltic ally."
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said in a post on X that Denmark is "a strong democracy and trusted NATO ally. Greenland is an integral part of Kingdom of Denmark."
"Understanding legitimate security needs of U.S. I believe those can be addressed in a direct dialogue between Denmark and U.S., and within the collective defence framework," he continued.
...
Speaking aboard Air Force One late on Sunday, Trump repeated his goal of taking Greenland, which is rich in prized critical minerals.
"It's so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security. And Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you," Trump said.
The U.S. leader mocked Denmark, claiming it added "one more dog sled" to bolster Greenland's security.
"The European Union needs us to have it, and they know that," Trump said.
On Saturday, following Trump's Venezuela raid to grab Maduro and bring him to the U.S. to face narcoterrorism charges, Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, had posted an image to social media that showed the American flag overlaid on the outline of Greenland.
Miller's post included the map with the word "SOON."
The Danish ambassador to the U.S. hit back, urging Washington to "respect" Denmark's territory.
"We expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen said in a post to social media.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such," Sørensen added. "U.S. security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security."
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pushed back forcefully against Trump’s renewed talk of taking control of Greenland, telling him to “stop the threats” and rejecting any suggestion that the United States has a claim to the territory.
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Frederiksen said it made “absolutely no sense” to argue that the U.S. needs to take over Greenland, stressing that Washington has “no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom.”
The news cycle is loud. Algorithms push us to extremes. In the middle—where facts, ideas and progress live—there's a void. At Newsweek, we fill it with fearless, fair and fiercely independent journalism.
Common ground isn't just possible—it's essential. Our readers reflect America's diversity, united by a desire for thoughtful, unbiased news. Independent ratings confirm our approach: NewsGuard gives us 100/100 for reliability, and AllSides places us firmly in the political center.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. Ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy:
Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines