Wadephul: "No indication of US military action" Germany and Nato campaign for a solution to the Greenland conflict - Trump remains intransigent

US President Trump's threats against Greenland are keeping two German ministers in Washington busy. Also the Chancellor in India. US government spokeswoman Leavitt even follows up.

Keystone-SDA

13.01.2026, 06:16

13.01.2026, 06:28

SDA

Germany and other NATO states are campaigning for a joint security solution with the USA for the Arctic and Greenland - but US President Donald Trump, as the most powerful ally, is adamant. Following talks with his US counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that he very much welcomed the fact that there would be talks between the Danish government and the US government on Greenland this week. He had "no doubt that this will take place in a friendly and cooperative framework".

US government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt emphasized again on Monday that Trump had stated that the US wanted to buy Greenland because he feared that it would otherwise ultimately be acquired by China or Russia or even taken over in a hostile manner. This would not be beneficial for the USA, Europe or Greenland itself, she emphasized. It would be "not only in the best interest of the United States, but possibly also in the best interest of Greenland to become part of the United States," she said.

Rubio plans to meet with his counterpart Lars Løkke Rasmussen from Denmark this week. Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt will also take part in the meeting, according to her own statements. It has not yet been officially announced when exactly it will take place. According to Danish media, several US senators are also traveling to Copenhagen for talks with Danish and Greenlandic politicians.

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Wadephul: No evidence of US military action against Greenland

After the talks with Rubio, the German Foreign Minister made it clear that he does not expect the US to take military action to annex Greenland. "I have no indication that this is being seriously considered," Wadephul told journalists. "I believe that there is a common interest that we should and will take care of the security issues that arise in the Arctic region." At the same time, he emphasized that when it comes to matters that affect Greenland and Denmark, it is up to Greenland and Denmark to decide.

Merz: Improving Greenland's security situation together with the USA

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) also assumes that the USA will participate in a stronger NATO presence around Greenland. "We share the American concerns that this part of Denmark needs to be better protected," he said during his visit to India. "We simply want to improve the security situation for Greenland together. And I assume that the Americans will also participate in this." To what extent - "the talks over the next few days and weeks will show", said Merz.

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Klingbeil: Great concern for the transatlantic relationship

Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, meanwhile, was "very concerned" about the transatlantic relationship with the USA. The German government wants to use every opportunity to engage in dialogue with its partners, the SPD leader emphasized ahead of talks between international finance ministers in Washington. "But we are also seeing that the discussions are becoming increasingly difficult, that the differences are growing."

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Trump: Nato initiative does not change my assessment

Trump had previously made it clear that he would not be dissuaded from his claim to ownership of Greenland by moves by Nato states to expand the alliance's presence in the Arctic. The fact that Great Britain and Germany were discussing how NATO could better protect the Arctic did not change his assessment, he said. Trump made it clear that he is talking about long-term ownership of Greenland. "We are talking about acquisition, not a lease."

Trump repeatedly emphasizes that he wants to bring the island, which officially belongs to NATO partner Denmark, under US control - "the hard way" if necessary. He points to the strategic importance of the island, a recent allegedly large presence of Russian and Chinese ships in the region - and Greenland's mineral resources.

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Nato seeks way out of dispute over Greenland

On the sidelines of talks in Croatia, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said that further steps were currently being discussed on how to make the Arctic safer together. NATO had already become more active last year at the request of the allied Arctic states of the USA, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Rutte did not say what possible steps could be taken.

It had previously become known that several allied states had spoken out in favor of launching a new surveillance mission called "Arctic Sentry". It is intended to take away the Americans' argument that security in the strategically important region cannot be adequately guaranteed.

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Climate change increases Greenland's importance

The world's largest island lies between the USA, Russia and Europe and extends far into the Arctic Circle. Due to climate change, the Arctic is becoming increasingly interesting for civil and military shipping. Greenland is also believed to contain deposits of important minerals, including rare earths. However, their possible extraction is considered very difficult due to the climatic conditions.

The USA already has extensive rights to use the island for its own defense. The US military has long operated a military base in Pituffik for missile defense and space surveillance missions.