Madrid, Spain – Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Thursday that a hypothetical forced annexation of Greenland by the United States would be “unacceptable,” but would not spell the end of NATO.
Robles made the remarks on arrival at Spain’s congress of lawmakers, where she also said that Madrid does not rule out participating in a European military mission in Greenland, following US President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in taking control of the Danish autonomous territory.
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Asked whether such an annexation could lead to the collapse of the military alliance, Robles said it would not, although she stressed that the scenario would be “very serious.”
“It would be extremely serious if this were to happen, but we must act with prudence and, above all, respect the existing frameworks, which call for discretion and careful decision-making,” she said.
The minister urged against “jumping to conclusions,” adding that options such as reinforcing surveillance in Greenland could be considered, but that allies should avoid rushing decisions.
Her comments came after France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway announced the deployment of troops to Greenland to jointly explore ways of increasing security in the region.
“We are in constant contact with our allies. We will see what emerges from today’s meetings,” Robles said, stressing that any European mission in Greenland would be focused on surveillance.
Trump has once again turned his attention to Greenland, a vast Arctic island of major geostrategic importance, home to around 56,000 people and rich in oil and rare earths, key resources for technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Both Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen have rejected any possibility of the US acquiring the island, either through purchase or by force.
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