The European Union on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to rule out a military attack to take control of Denmark’s autonomous territory of Greenland as "wild hypothetical stuff," while confirming that EU states would be compelled to defend the island if Trump invaded it.
Trump, set to be inaugurated for a second, nonconsecutive term in the White House on Jan. 20, refused at a news conference Tuesday to rule out military action to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic island and earlier had vowed to slap high tariffs on Denmark if it refused to cede control.
The Brussels-based 27-nation bloc, long a U.S. ally, however, attempted to avoid being drawn into a verbal sparring match with Trump, saying it was “looking forward” to working with the incoming administration.
As for Trump’s refusal to rule out military action to take over Greenland, a European Commission spokesperson said, "We are talking about fairly wild hypothetical stuff about an administration that hasn't come in yet."
Another spokesperson added that the sovereignty of states had to be respected "as a matter of principle.”
Asked if Greenland was covered by a mutual defense clause binding EU members to assist each other in case of attack, commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said that was the case.
"But we are indeed speaking of something extremely theoretical on which we will not want to elaborate," she said.
Greenland is a mineral-rich autonomous territory of EU member Denmark and an associated territory of the EU.
Trump has long publicly hypothesized about taking over Greenland, saying Tuesday, “We need Greenland for national security purposes,” arguing that Denmark should give it up to “protect the free world.”
Aside from minerals on the island, it is a strategic Arctic shipping portal, especially as ice floes melt at the top of the world as the planet warms.
Trump earlier in the day wrote on social media that the potential American takeover of Greenland “is a deal that must happen” and uploaded photos of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who was visiting Greenland.
“MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN,” Trump added.
Panama and Canada
At his news conference, Trump also refused to rule out military action to secure control of the Panama Canal and use economic force against neighboring Canada to gain the upper hand in trade deals or merge the two countries.
“Canada and the United States, that would really be something,” Trump said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security.”
Trump posited the possibility that Canada should be the 51st U.S. state, a proposition that outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately rejected.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” Trudeau said.
Germany and France
Aside from the EU’s rejection of Trump eyeing a Greenland takeover, EU members Germany and France individually also rebuffed the suggestion by the incoming U.S. leader.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed surprise at Trump’s comments, saying European partners agreed that the inviolability of borders was a fundamental principle of international law.
"This principle applies and is a foundation of our peaceful order," Scholz told reporters.
"In my discussions with our European partners, a certain lack of understanding has emerged with regard to recent statements from the USA," Scholz said in an unusually blunt statement called on short notice.
"The principle of inviolability of borders applies to every country, regardless of whether it is to the east or west of us," said Scholz, adding that Russia had violated that principle with its nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio, "There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be ... attack its sovereign borders. We are a strong continent. We need to strengthen ourselves more.”
Barrot said he did not believe the U.S. would invade the vast Arctic island that has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years.
But he added, "We have entered an era that is seeing the return of the law of the strongest. Should we be intimidated? Should we be overcome with worry? Evidently, no,” he said.
"We need to wake up and reinforce ourselves militarily in competition in a world where the law of the strongest prevails.”
Barrot said he believes the United States is "inherently not imperialistic" and said he "did not believe" that it is changing.