LONDON -- The escalating showdown between the U.S.and its NATO allies over the fate of Greenland looks set to be a dominant topic of conversation as leaders gather at this week's World Economic Forum event in Davos, with U.S.
President Donald Trump again declaring on Monday that American ownership of the Arctic island is "imperative."Trump said in a post to social media that, following a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, "I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland.As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security.
There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!"Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.Trump first raised the prospect of acquiring the minerals-rich island in his first term.
Danish and Greenlandic politicians have repeatedly rebuffed such proposals.European leaders, meanwhile, continued to push back on Trump's ambitions and publicize their coordination efforts on the issue.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post to X that she met with a bipartisan congressional delegation to discuss both Russia's war in Ukraine and recent tensions around Greenland.Danish soldiers land at Nuuk airport, January 19, 2026.Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via ReutersEurope 'united' in face of Trump's Greenland threats, tariffs, EU chief saysVon der Leyen said she "addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark.This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship."The European Union, she said, "remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests.""We also discussed transatlantic trade and investment.
They are a major asset for both the EU and US economies.Tariffs run counter to these shared interests," von der Leyen wrote.Danish and Greenlandic ...