European leaders are trying to avoid a direct confrontation with the Donald Trump administration over Greenland, counting on a negotiated agreement to keep NATO intact.
Meanwhile, in Washington, several American senators have introduced a bill aimed at explicitly preventing the annexation or occupation of a territory belonging to a NATO ally without their consent, amid the increasingly aggressive rhetoric of the US president regarding the Arctic island.
According to European diplomats cited by Politico, EU governments are focusing on identifying a solution that would allow Trump to claim a "victory" domestically - either through increased European investments in Arctic security or through economic concessions - without causing a strategic rupture within the transatlantic alliance.
Conciliation, not confrontation: the EU plan for Greenland
After Trump stated that the US "needs" Greenland and does not rule out obtaining it "one way or another," European capitals have accelerated discussions to avoid escalation.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated after a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the dialogue on the Arctic territory was "encouraging," and Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed hope for finding "an acceptable solution for both parties" within NATO.
In this context, one of the ideas discussed at the European level is using NATO as a platform to strengthen security in the Arctic, coupled with increased investments from European states, a theme that directly responds to Trump's repeated calls for greater European involvement in their defense.
"The art of the deal": Arctic security and critical minerals
European diplomats argue that the Trump administration is primarily interested in a political gain. One possible scenario could involve a package combining Arctic security with US access to Greenland's mineral resources, rich in critical raw materials, oil, and gas.
The EU plans to double its investments in Greenland in the next multiannual budget, including projects related to critical raw materials. A co-investment formula could be presented as an advantageous compromise for Washington. However, European diplomats point out that Denmark has previously offered the US the opportunity to invest in Greenland without Americans acting on these proposals.
American senators try to block any annexation
Amid escalating tensions, two American senators - Lisa Murkowski (Republican) and Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat) - have introduced a legislative proposal that would explicitly prohibit the Trump administration from annexing, occupying, or controlling a territory of a NATO ally without their consent.
"NATO remains the most successful defensive alliance in history, and its credibility lies in the common understanding that the sovereignty of member states will be respected and mutually defended," the legislative proposal states.
The initiative warns that any attempt to take over Greenland would violate the North Atlantic Treaty, undermine the alliance's cohesion, and weaken the West's ability to counter threats from Russia and China.
The proposal includes blocking the use of funds from the Department of State and the Department of Defense for actions directed against the territory of a NATO member state. A similar initiative, with bipartisan support, has also been introduced in the House of Representatives, although the chances of adoption remain uncertain.
Tense meeting at the White House
The Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Greenland are meeting on Wednesday at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Marco Rubio, in a meeting considered extremely sensitive. The meeting was requested by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who said he hopes to clarify "certain misunderstandings."
Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, firmly reiterated the position of local authorities. "Greenland is not for sale" and "will not belong to the United States," Nielsen said.
He stated on Tuesday in Copenhagen that his government would choose Denmark over the United States. "We are facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we had to choose between the United States and Denmark, now, here, we choose Denmark."
His statements were supported by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has repeatedly warned that a military intervention would mean the end of NATO.
"An unprecedented situation" for NATO
European officials warn that a US military action against a territory belonging to a NATO member state would set an unparalleled precedent.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that such a scenario would be "unprecedented in NATO's history," while European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius said that such intervention would effectively mark the end of the alliance.
Despite the public rejection of the idea for Europe to "cede" Greenland, European diplomats acknowledge that the fear of a rupture with Washington is real. "It's something very serious - and Europe is afraid," one of the officials involved in the discussions in Brussels stated, as cited by Politico.