by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS / COPENHAGEN (Worthy News) – NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged alliance members to jointly protect Greenland, as a senior European Union official warned that any U.S. military takeover of the strategic Arctic territory would spell the end of NATO.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said Monday in Sweden that if the United States were to seize Greenland by force, “that would mean the end of NATO,” underscoring growing concern within Europe over tensions involving the Arctic island, which is part of NATO member Denmark.
Kubilius added that EU member states would be obligated to come to Denmark’s aid if it were subjected to American aggression, stressing that Greenland remains Danish territory under international law.
Rutte said NATO must collectively ensure the security of Greenland and the wider Arctic region against rivals such as Russia and China, noting that all NATO countries — including the United States — agree on the strategic importance of the High North.
According to alliance officials, NATO is discussing “next steps” to strengthen Arctic security, possibly including a new military mission in the region.
The remarks come amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of taking control of Greenland, arguing that Denmark has failed to adequately defend the island, which he says is vital to American security.
TWO DOG SLEDS
“You know what their defense is? Two dog sleds,” he told reporters aboard the Air Force One presidential plane. “In the meantime you have Russian destroyers and submarines and China [with] destroyers and submarines all over the place.”
Trump has claimed Greenland represents the shortest route for potential Russian or Chinese missile threats to the United States, while melting Arctic ice is making the region more accessible to foreign naval forces.
European diplomats say Denmark and its allies are working behind the scenes to prevent any drastic U.S. action, including through a possible joint deterrence operation reportedly dubbed Arctic Sentry.
While Rutte has avoided public confrontation with Washington, European NATO members are privately pressing for a stronger collective response and faster progress toward an alliance-led mission in the Arctic, diplomats in Brussels said.
The Netherland, Rutte’s native country, has indicated it would be “favorably inclined” to participate in such a NATO mission, caretaker Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans confirmed.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Iran’s sweeping internet blackout has entered its fourth week, leaving millions of civilians cut off from global communications as the conflict with the United States and Israel intensifies.
The United States has surpassed 10,000 strikes on Iranian targets since launching Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, marking a major milestone in the ongoing military campaign, according to U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering calling up the National Guard to assist federal agents at airports as long lines and delays intensify during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Video has emerged showing protesters booing and chasing away Anthony Albanese and Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke at the nation’s largest mosque after the government banned an Islamist group following a recent massacre of Australian Jews.
The White House issued a stark warning to Iran this week, signaling that further military action is imminent if Tehran refuses to agree to terms aimed at ending the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and the Iranian regime.
Dutch authorities have foiled a planned attack on a building housing a synagogue and school in the western town of Heemstede, detaining two teenagers suspected of preparing an explosion or arson with terrorist intent, officials said.
Israel has carried out a rare and far-reaching military strike on Iran’s Caspian Sea port of Bandar Anzali, targeting a logistics hub used by Russia and Iran to transport weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal..