America News Agency

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday: “No more pressure. No more hints. No more annexation fantasies.”

The Greenlandic prime minister added: “When the president of the United States says ‘we need Greenland’ and links us to Venezuela and military intervention, that is not only wrong. It is deeply disrespectful. Our country is not an object of superpower rhetoric. We are a people. We are a territory. And we are a democracy. This must be respected, especially by our close and loyal friends.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told public broadcaster DR on Monday: “If the United States attacks another NATO country, everything stops.”

Frederiksen said: “I have made it very clear where the Kingdom of Denmark stands, and Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States. Unfortunately, I believe that when the American president says he wants Greenland, it has to be taken seriously.”

For months, Trump and his team have said they want to take control of the vast semi-autonomous Danish territory, citing its strategic importance and mineral wealth. After Maduro’s capture, Trump told reporters late Sunday aboard Air Force One, “From a national security perspective, we need Greenland, and Denmark won’t be able to do it, I can tell you,” further reinforcing the idea.

Germany said on Monday that European allies were ready to step in.

Speaking to reporters in Lithuania, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said: “Since Denmark is a NATO member, Greenland would in principle fall under NATO defense. If there is a need to strengthen defense efforts related to Greenland, we will have to discuss this within the alliance.”

European leaders remain reluctant to sharply criticize Trump, whom they still rely on for a large share of their military defense and who repeatedly threatens additional tariffs. However, on Monday many leaders, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also noted, stressed that Greenland’s future “is not an issue for others to decide.” France likewise expressed “solidarity with Denmark.”

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned: “No one will take a weak and divided Europe seriously—neither enemies nor allies.”

Trump has been threatening Greenland for about a year and last month appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to the region. Denmark’s military intelligence service also classified the United States as a security risk for the first time.