In a recent interview, Tillie Martinussen, a prominent Greenlandic politician and co-founder of the Cooperation Party, expressed profound appreciation for the support extended by European nations and Canada as Greenland navigated threats from former US President Donald Trump regarding the territory’s status.
Martinussen remarked, “I have to say the Greenlandic people are so grateful to all our European allies as well as Canada. They have really stepped up in this question here and we have seen them learning from past mistakes. And I think that’s wonderful. We’re very, very happy with the European Union as it is right now and Europe as a whole,” highlighting the importance of international solidarity during a period of uncertainty.
Trump’s claims and Greenland’s response
Trump’s controversial statements suggested that the United States should exert control over Greenland, citing its strategic significance for national security. These claims led to tensions within the transatlantic alliance, particularly after Trump threatened punitive measures against European nations that supported Greenland’s autonomy.
Remarkably, Trump later retracted his assertions, choosing instead to pursue a long-term strategy for Arctic security brokered by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Martinussen noted, “We’re seeing Mark Rutte saying that we have to ramp up security and that’s easy to do because people are already doing it. I mean, both Denmark and Greenland have invested a lot already in improving Arctic security. So if that’s what he wants, we’re already doing it.”
Additionally, Trump alleged without evidence that the US needed to protect Greenland from supposed takeover threats posed by China and Russia. In response, Martinussen stated, “I have to say that China was out and saying, don’t you use us as a threat right now. We’re not a threat. And they haven’t been everything that we have heard, like intelligence. There have not been any Chinese warships in Greenlandic seas for at least 10 years. So that’s a little crazy.”
“Of course, we do have Putin on the other side that we don’t like here in Greenland as well. What is remarkable about all of this is the way that Donald Trump is talking about Greenland. He was also actually saying Iceland. So, it’s very confusing to hear him talk about us. I’m not even sure he knows exactly what’s going on.”
Danish Prime Minister’s stance and NATO’s role
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized her country’s willingness to engage with the White House on issues concerning Greenland, provided that its sovereignty is not compromised, which she termed a “red line.” Martinussen remarked on Trump’s dismissive comments, stating, “He was saying we were not even a country, we’re not even a land, we’re just a big block of ice and of course everyone here is insulted but we’re kind of getting used to that a little bit.”
Frederiksen and NATO chief Mark Rutte agreed to enhance security efforts in the Arctic region after Trump’s retraction. Rutte conveyed on social media that “we’re working together to ensure that the whole of NATO is safe and secure and will build on our cooperation to enhance deterrence and defence in the Arctic.” Frederiksen, poised to visit Greenland, echoed this sentiment by emphasizing the need for increased NATO engagement in Arctic defense.
While specific outcomes of their discussions have yet to be disclosed, it has been suggested that NATO might establish a new mission in the Arctic. Discussions regarding the renegotiation of a 1951 treaty governing American military presence in Greenland are also reportedly underway.
Amid these developments, Martinussen expressed concern about the lasting impression on Greenland’s youth, stating, “I’m so saddened that a lot of kids who have grown up in Greenland now are going to think that America is an aggressor and not to be trusted, but I’m also very happy that actually the new heroes are going to be Emmanuel Macron and then the Canadian prime minister because of the way that they talked in Davos yesterday.”