NATO allies reportedly held secret discussions about the possibility of deploying troops to Greenland, in response to threats from Donald Trump to seize it from Denmark.
The US president has repeatedly expressed his wishes to buy the island, sending Denmark into “crisis mode” following a heated phone call with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen last month.
According to diplomatic sources who spoke to The Telegraph, Germany is among numerous European nations informally discussing “what NATO troops would do” if Mr Trump were to act on his threats.
One question raised was whether Article 5, NATO’s mutual defence clause, could be invoked in the event of an American invasion of another NATO state.
However, this option was swiftly dismissed as it would necessitate the unanimous vote of all 32 NATO states – including the US.
Germany’s participation in these talks has sparked questions, given Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s refusal to send troops to Ukraine.
A NATO diplomat said: “Berlin doesn’t want to send troops to Ukraine because the situation is ‘too ambiguous’ but is openly flying kites about sending NATO troops to Greenland. It’s a moral compass without a needle.”
Austria’s General Robert Brieger, the EU’s top military official, suggested that stationing EU troops in Greenland “would make perfect sense” and send a strong signal to stabilize the region.
President Trump has been openly seeking to take control of Greenland since his second term in office, claiming that the people of Greenland want to join the US. He previously stated: “I think the people want to be with us.
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world. I think Greenland we’ll get because it has to do with freedom of the world.”
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stressed the bloc’s support for Denmark and Greenland, while dismissing any speculation about the situation.
She said: “Of course we are supporting our member state, Denmark, and its autonomous region, Greenland, but we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs because this is not the situation right now.”
In response to Mr Trump’s threats, Greenland’s ruling Siumut party is set to hold a vote on independence following next month’s general election.
Recently, Denmark also unveiled a massive multi-billion dollar boost to its armed forces in the Arctic, ramping up regional tensions.