Senior EU defense officials warn that increasing competition in Greenland, fueled by President Donald Trump's interest, could demand a stronger European military role. They point to the territory's strategic location, emerging resources, and global players like Russia and China eyeing influence in the Arctic.
In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that was published on Saturday, the highest-ranking military official of the European Union, Robert Brieger, stated that it would be a reasonable idea to station troops from EU countries in Greenland.
The comment was made in light of the fact that President Donald Trump of the United States has expressed interest in acquiring the territory that is located in Denmark.
Not only would it make excellent sense, in his opinion, to station United States forces in Greenland, as has been the case up until this point, but it would also make perfect sense to explore stationing European Union soldiers there in the future, according to the head of the European Union Military Committee.
The general, who was born in Austria, stated that doing so would ultimately necessitate a choice from the political spectrum. In spite of the fact that it is the highest military office of the European Council, the military committee now functions as a consultative body because the European Union does not have a dedicated army.
NATO, which is led by the United States, is the primary military alliance for the European Union.
The general went on to say both Europeans and the United States have interests in Greenland, noting its raw materials and strategic location. This is despite the fact that Greenland is not a member of the European Union (EU) because it is an overseas region of Denmark.
However, he stated that this also creates a certain possibility for confrontation with Russia and possibly China. This is because climate change is causing an increase in the melting of ice, which is taking place.
There is a possibility that President Trump might like to incorporate Greenland, which is currently a Danish independent territory, into the United States of America. He has not ruled out the possibility of employing either economic or military strength in order to convince Denmark to hand it over.
The strategic placement of Greenland along the shortest path from Europe to North America, which is essential for the ballistic missile warning system of the United States, has inspired President Trump to make Greenland a priority.
Brieger expressed his hope that the United States, in its capacity as a member of the United Nations, will adhere to the principle that borders are inviolable, as outlined in the United Nations Charter.
