Madrid [Spain], January 7 : Spain on Tuesday (local time) reiterated its firm support for Denmark and the people of Greenland, stressing that respect for national sovereignty is essential for global peace, amid remarks from the United States about acquiring the Arctic territory.
The NATO allies also issued a joint statement on Greenland.
"Spain reiterates, together with Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom, its firm support for Denmark and the people of Greenland. Respect for the sovereignty of countries is essential for peace. That was the greatest lesson the 20th century left us. Let us not forget it," the Prime Minister of Spain,Pedro Sanchez, wrote in a post on X.
https://x.com/sanchezcastejon/status/2008507185894981925
The statement comes as the White House said it is considering "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the possible use of military force. According to CNN, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday (local time) that acquiring Greenland is viewed as a national security priority by President Donald Trump.
"President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief's disposal," Leavitt said addressing weekly media briefing.
Amid growing concern in Europe, several NATO allies issued a joint statement reaffirming support for Denmark and Greenland and underlining the importance of collective security in the Arctic.
In the joint statement, leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Denmark said that Arctic security remains a key priority for Europe and is critical for international and transatlantic security. They noted that NATO has clearly identified the Arctic as a priority region and that European allies have increased their presence, activities and investments to deter adversaries.
The leaders stressed that security in the Arctic must be ensured collectively, in coordination with NATO allies, including the United States, while upholding the principles of the UN Charter such as sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.
"The Kingdom of Denmark - including Greenland - is part of NATO," the statement said, adding that Greenland belongs to its people and that decisions concerning Greenland can only be taken by Denmark and Greenland.
The statement also underlined that while the United States is an essential NATO partner, cooperation must be based on mutual respect for international law and established agreements.