Blinken: Trump's idea for the US to take control of Greenland will not come true

2025-01-08 19:46:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Blinken: Trump's idea for the US to take control of Greenland will not come

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has said that the world "shouldn't waste too much time" with what the US president-elect, Donald Trump, is saying about Greenland.

Trump made it clear again this week that he wants the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark to come under US control and said he would not rule out using military force to achieve it.

"We need Greenland for national security purposes," Trump said.

However, the outgoing secretary of state said the new US president's intentions are likely to be nothing more than words.

"The idea expressed about Greenland is not good, of course," said Blinken during a visit to Paris.

"Perhaps more important is, of course, the idea that this will not happen. Therefore, maybe we shouldn't waste too much time talking about it," he said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also ruled out deploying US forces against Denmark, which is a US ally in the NATO military alliance.

However, Barrot warned that Europe should prepare for a period of turbulence in the future.

"Does anyone think the United States will invade Greenland? The answer is 'no'", said the French minister.

"But do we think we are entering a period where the law of the fittest is returning? The answer is 'yes'," he added.

Barrot emphasized that Europe must become stronger militarily and more competitive economically and commercially to respond to this situation.

"We have to go much further to re-emphasize who we are and what we want," he said.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said she does not believe the United States will use military or economic power to take control of Greenland and has called on the US to behave more "respectfully towards the people of Greenland".

In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed on Wednesday that the principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country, no matter how powerful, reacting to Donald Trump's comments without mentioning the president-elect by name.

"Borders should not be changed by force," said Scholz./REL