French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the European Union would not allow any country to “attack its sovereign borders” after Donald Trump threatened Denmark and refused to rule out seizing Greenland by force.
The French warning came at a time when European Union leaders expressed their increasing concern after Trump Laying out his designs Regarding both Greenland and the Panama Canal in a press conference this week.
Greenland, the world's largest island, is an autonomous Danish region and is not itself part of the European Union.
“It is clear that there is no doubt that the European Union will allow other countries in the world, whoever they may be, and I would even say starting with Russia, to attack its sovereign borders,” Barrow told France Inter radio station. US attempt to seize Greenland from Denmark by force.
“We are a strong continent, and we need to strengthen ourselves more.”
Denmark retains control over Greenland's foreign and security policy, despite the territory's exit from the European Union in 1985 after a referendum.
The French Foreign Minister added that he did not expect this Trump to invade Greenland, but said Europe needed to “wake up” to a less secure world, echoing French President Emmanuel Macron's comments earlier this week.
Trump pledged during a press conference held on Tuesday “Denmark's tariff is at a very high level.” Unless the country gives up control of Greenland.
He also suggested the United States could annex Canada and called on NATO members to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defence, more than double the current target.
Asked whether he ruled out using military or economic coercion to seize Greenland or control the Panama Canal, the president-elect said: “No, I can't assure you about either of those things. But I can say this, we need them to “Economic security. We need Greenland for national security reasons.”
Trump previously said the US should take control of Greenland during his first term in 2019 — a suggestion that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called “ridiculous” at the time.
While Mott Egede, Greenland's prime minister, met with Denmark's King Frederik X on Wednesday, Copenhagen said it was open to talks with the United States about closer cooperation in the Arctic region.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the foreign minister, said he was willing to talk with the United States about “how we can cooperate more closely to ensure that American ambitions (in the Arctic) are achieved.”
Barrow said he believed “imperial” actions toward Greenland, Canada or the Panama Canal would be “very poorly received by the American people.”
A senior bloc official involved in talks between national capitals in recent days said EU leaders were “deeply disturbed by Trump's comments.” They added that Trump's son's visit to Greenland on Tuesday stunned officials, who were now taking the president-elect's statements seriously.
“Every day there is a new concern for us (from Trump),” the senior EU official said, adding that the bloc's leaders are in constant contact about how best to respond collectively.
The EU Treaty contains a mutual defense clause that determines whether any member is “a victim of armed aggression on its territory,” while other states “have an obligation to render aid and assistance by all means at their disposal.” This measure was activated once by France, after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks.
Barrow also called on the European Commission to take action against what France says is interference in European politics Elon Muskthe head of Tesla and a close confidant of Trump, who supported the far-right Alternative for Germany party before the elections in the country and attacked the British Labor Party government.
“Public debate cannot be transferred to large social media platforms owned by American billionaires without any regulatory oversight,” the French Foreign Minister added, pointing to recent EU legislation to moderate online content.
Barrow said he “called on the Commission several times to make more forceful use of the tools we have democratically given it to deter such behaviour,” adding that if Brussels cannot act, it must “return this capacity to EU member states.” The European Union and France.”
Pedro Sanchez, Spanish Prime Minister, also criticized Musk. He said in a speech he delivered on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco: “The international far right, which we have condemned for years, is led by the richest man in the world and is openly attacking our institutions.”
“It stirs up hatred and supports the heirs of Nazism in Germany in the elections in the leading economy in Europe. I believe that all this represents a problem, a challenge and a challenge that should concern everyone who believes in democracy and the Spanish Constitution.
Additional reporting by Barney Jobson and Richard Milne
