France does not rule out the possibility of sending troops to Greenland if Denmark requests it, says the French Foreign Minister. Borders cannot be changed by force, declares German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in the presence of his Danish counterpart in Berlin. Meanwhile, the Danish government will allocate two billion euros to strengthen security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic.
All this at a time when Donald Trump has stated that he wants to buy Greenland.
France is considering the possibility of sending troops to Greenland if Denmark requests it, something the northern European country has not done so far, but at the same time, it rules out the possibility of the United States invading the island.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (photo) insisted on Tuesday in an interview with Sud Radio that "the borders of the European Union (EU) are not negotiable" and that "if Denmark requests EU solidarity, France will respond."
Asked if the sending of European troops to Greenland would be possible, Barrot replied, "why not?" before emphasizing that discussions on this issue have begun with the Danish authorities, but they have not made such a request, according to EFE.
"For Denmark, the issue is not on the table at the moment," added the French Foreign Minister, who, when asked what would happen if the United States invaded Greenland, replied that "that will not happen" and that "no one has any interest in invading EU territory."
Barrot's statements come a few hours before French President Emmanuel Macron receives Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Paris, after the Copenhagen government announced on Monday that it will strengthen its defense mechanism in the Arctic with ships, drones, and satellites, for which it will allocate around 2 billion euros.
EFE recalls that before taking office, Trump stated that he does not rule out the use of military force or economic sanctions to obtain Greenland, an island he intended to buy from Denmark, as he considers it strategically important for the security of the United States.
On the other hand, German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed his Danish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday and stated that borders cannot be changed by force, as also reported by AFP.
During a press conference, neither of the two leaders directly mentioned the new American president or the large island located in the Arctic.
However, after discussing the war in Ukraine, Olaf Scholz emphasized that "borders should not be shifted by force" and added in English "to whom it may concern."
Denmark and Germany are "close friends" and have "a very similar view of the world," said the German Federal Chancellor.
"Our continent is based on the idea that, rather than confrontation, cooperation will lead to peace, progress, and prosperity," added Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
American President Donald Trump stated on Saturday in front of journalists that the US "will acquire" Greenland, "an absolute necessity" for "national security and freedom around the world," according to him.
In addition to its strategic location, Greenland is also coveted for its vast untapped mineral and oil reserves, access to which remains complicated.
However, Greenland has stated numerous times that it is not for sale and that it wants to decide its own future.
On Saturday, the Danish Prime Minister gathered her Scandinavian counterparts and the Finnish president to show their "solidarity" in the face of American claims.