NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Monday (January 12) that the alliance is examining ways to strengthen security in the Arctic, as European allies move to counter US President Donald Trump’s controversial interest in taking control of Greenland.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to Croatia, Rutte said discussions were under way on how NATO could better protect the strategically vital Arctic region amid rising global competition. “Currently we are working on the next steps to make sure that indeed we collectively protect what is at stake,” he said.
Trump has unsettled the 32-member military alliance by refusing to rule out the use of force to seize Greenland, an autonomous territory that belongs to NATO member Denmark. The US president has repeatedly argued that Washington needs control of the vast Arctic island to bolster security against growing Russian and Chinese activity in the region.
“All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security,” Rutte said, pointing to the opening of new sea lanes due to climate change. “Because we know that with sea lanes opening up there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active.”
He added that NATO was now discussing how to translate broad agreement into concrete action. “Currently we are discussing the next step to that, how to make sure that we give practical follow-up on those discussions,” Rutte said.
Diplomats at NATO headquarters say some member states have floated ideas such as launching a new alliance mission focused on the Arctic. However, they caution that talks remain at an early stage, with no formal proposals yet presented or agreed upon.
European leaders have rallied behind Denmark as it seeks to push back against Trump’s stated ambitions. Copenhagen has stressed that Greenland is not for sale and that any attempt to take it by force would violate international law and NATO’s founding principles.
The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland are expected to hold talks later this week with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as diplomatic efforts intensify to defuse tensions.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any US military move against Greenland would effectively spell the end of NATO, striking at the heart of the alliance’s mutual defence pledge.
Trump, however, has dismissed criticism and insisted that his presidency has strengthened NATO by pressuring European allies to increase defence spending. “I’m the one who SAVED NATO!!!” he posted online, underscoring the growing strain within the alliance over Greenland and Arctic security.
