By Armin Sijamić
This week's negotiations between the authorities of the United States, Denmark, and Greenland have not changed President Donald Trump's stance - the resource-rich and strategically important island must be under Washington's control, regardless of what European allies think.
For years, European officials have repeated that it is only a matter of time before Russia attacks a European country and that the aggression against Ukraine is just a stop in the Kremlin's plans. US President Joseph Biden also claimed this, urging Europeans to close ranks under Washington's leadership until Ukraine's final victory over Russia.
Russia has not taken any territory since then, and the Russian army is suffering heavy blows in Ukraine.
But that doesn't mean some European country won't lose part of its territory. As things stand, the world's largest power wants territory from an allied country, Denmark, at all costs.
Europeans could not have imagined such a scenario when they decided to almost unreservedly support Biden's plan for Eastern Europe to become an impenetrable barrier against any Russian advance towards the west of the continent, and thus prove their commitment to the transatlantic alliance.
Trump does not accept "no" as an answer
Such a turn in Washington's plans could lead to numerous problems in relations between allies, but also permanently damage the reputation of the United States.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said, the day before the meeting in Washington, that "if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark".
Most Americans do not want to take over Greenland either. Only seventeen percent of Americans approve of it, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted earlier this week.
However, Trump is not bothered by such "trifles" as the will of sovereign states, international law, and allied relations. In a recent interview with The New York Times (NYT), Trump said: "My own morals. My own mind. That's the only thing that can stop me."
The master of improvisation and diverting attention from the core of the problem has shown this talent once again, through the statements of a close associate. His envoy for Greenland and Republican Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, said this week that he has no interest in negotiating with diplomats, but wants to talk to the people of Greenland, whom he will visit in March.
Last month, Landry said he wanted to "improve the quality of life" for the people of Greenland in exchange for a greater US military presence and access to rare minerals. Alluding to the famous cuisine of the state of Louisiana, Landry described this access as "culinary diplomacy".
Use of force even against allies
European allies still have no answer to Trump's threats. So far, resistance to Trump has been only verbal; they have offered agreements and decided to send a symbolic number of soldiers from several countries there for now. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated on Thursday that Trump will "take over" Greenland regardless of the military presence of allied European countries.
This statement came a few hours after a meeting between delegations from Denmark and Greenland with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marc Rubio. Some media reported that the US duo used a "good cop, bad cop" tactic at the meeting, with Vance threatening force and Rubio showing readiness to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the day before that there is still a "fundamental disagreement" with Washington and that Copenhagen does not accept "ideas that would not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination".
French President Emmanuel Macron has been the most vocal in supporting Denmark, whom Trump has often mocked in recent weeks by recounting their alleged conversations. Macron understands that the US seizure of Greenland from Denmark would have lasting consequences, which probably no one can fully comprehend at this moment.
"If the sovereignty of a European country and ally were threatened, the consequences would be unprecedented. France is closely monitoring the situation and will act in full solidarity with Denmark and its sovereignty," Macron said, which is essentially Paris's and Europe's stance on Ukraine and Russian aggression.
Macron has not announced what measures France will take if Greenland is taken from Denmark, which he previously described as "new colonialism". In addition to the aforementioned soldiers in Greenland, some of whom are from France, Macron has announced that he will send military planes and ships to Greenland.
France's insistence on supporting Denmark could also lead to problems in relations between Washington and the European Union. This does not please Trump, especially after he recently got everything he wanted from European allies in a trade agreement.
This is perhaps the strongest card that Europeans can play, at least those who will not side with Trump. Hints are already emerging that some European countries will not choose Denmark over the United States. This applies equally to member states of the European Union and NATO, which Trump described in the aforementioned interview with the NYT as useless without the United States.
Europeans have few options in confronting Trump. Some on both sides of the Atlantic are working to de-escalate tensions over Greenland and try to reach an agreement that would be acceptable to both Trump and Denmark. However, the question is what satisfies Trump. In an offensive that has been ongoing for a year, Trump has been attacking American friends and enemies around the world and there are no indications that he will stop until he gets what he has envisioned, and Greenland is at the top of his wish list.
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