European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would continue to work closely with the United States to strengthen Arctic security as US President Donald Trump continues to threaten to take Greenland from Denmark.
“The European Union has a very good reputation in Greenland and we are very much looking forward to its excellent cooperation,” von der Leyen said during an official visit to Limassol, Cyprus, on Thursday.
“Therefore, we will continue our work on Arctic security with our allies (and) partners, including the United States,” she added.
Trump frames his expansionist policies as follows: national security goals.
On Wednesday, the US president said NATO “will become more formidable and effective with Greenland in American hands.” Otherwise, he said, Russia and China would benefit in the strategic region.
“Anything less will not be acceptable,” he wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
His remarks coincided with talks in Washington with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
The Danish Minister Lars Locke RasmussenThe tone was frank and constructive, but he acknowledged that “fundamental differences” remained between the two sides.
“We were unable to change the US position,” he said at the end of the meeting. “It’s clear that the president has a desire to conquer Greenland.”
Rasmussen added that Denmark and the United States had agreed to establish a high-level “working group” to find a “common way forward” on the Greenland issue. He also disputed President Trump’s claims that Chinese warships are holding ground around the island.
At the same time, several European countries began publicly announcing their intention to send military officers as part of reconnaissance missions to mineral-rich areas, a stark reflection of the extremely high tensions stoked by President Trump’s vision.
France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands I’m inside Those who pledged to take part in the mission at the request of Copenhagen.
Ms von der Leyen, speaking to mark the appointment of a Cypriot as president of the EU Council, pledged to “double down” investment and cooperation in Greenland.
“What is clear is that Greenland can rely on us politically, economically and financially,” she told a news conference, standing next to Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides.
“When it comes to security, the debate on Arctic security is first and foremost a core issue for NATO. But I also want to stress that both the Arctic and Arctic security are central themes for the European Union and are of great importance to us.”
mutual aid
Separately, the European Commission confirmed that Denmark can invoke EU agreements. Mutual aid clause In the event of an armed attack against Greenland, even if the semi-autonomous island was not part of the bloc.
The European Commission has recently avoided clarifying the legal application.
“Greenland is part of the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark and therefore is in principle subject to the mutual solidarity clause of Article 42.7 TEU,” a European Commission spokesperson told Euronews in a statement.
The spokesperson noted that Trump’s threats have not yet been acted upon, adding, “But at this point, the question is not asking itself.”
The mutual assistance clause is enshrined in Article 42(7) of the EU Treaty, which stipulates that if a state becomes a “victim of armed aggression in its territory”, other member states have an “obligation to provide aid and support by all means possible” in accordance with the right of collective self-defense recognized in the United Nations Charter.
The article does not elaborate on what measures actually qualify as “aid.”
According to explanatory notes In the European Commission’s view, Member States should have sufficient leeway to decide on assistance, whether of a diplomatic, technical, medical or civil nature. Military aid is also envisaged.
For this article to take effect, there must be an attack “from abroad” by a state or non-state actor, the memo says. The decision to invoke it rests solely with the member state under attack. Once invoked, the duty to assist becomes “legally binding.”
Since its introduction in 2007, Article 42.7 has only been invoked once, when France was the victim of a terrorist attack in November 2015 and required other Member States to contribute personnel to Operation Sentinel.
Notably, Article 42.7 establishes a direct link with NATO Article 5, which is the basis of the collective defense of the Atlantic Alliance. Most EU countries are members of NATO, with overlapping commitments and obligations.
Unlike the broader EU provisions, NATO Article 5 is more explicit, forcing allies to take any necessary action “including the use of force” to “restore and maintain security in the North Atlantic region.”
However, given that the United States and Denmark are both NATO members, there is no precedent determining how Article 5 would apply in a scenario where U.S. forces violated Danish sovereignty and occupied Greenland by force.
Such dilemmas emerged in 2020, when Turkey and Greece clashed over gas exploration contested by Ankara in waters claimed by Athens. In response, Greece put its military on alert, pushing the two NATO members to the brink of war.
