Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The surprise operation launched by Donald Trump to arrest the Venezuelan president and his wife has alarmed European leaders as they consider its repercussions amid ongoing negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The website Playbook, the European edition of the American magazine Politico, added: “A pressing question is now being posed to Europe: Will Greenland be next? And it’s not a hypothetical question. In an interview with The Atlantic magazine over the weekend, Trump reiterated his desire for the United States to control this self-governing island, which is under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. ‘We absolutely need Greenland,’ Trump said, describing the island as ‘surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.’ Trump embraced the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, under which Washington claimed sovereignty over the Western Hemisphere, leaving the rest of the world to Europe, albeit with his own personal twist: ‘Now they call it the Donroe Doctrine.’ Furthermore, Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, the White House advisor known for his controversial positions, posted a map of Greenland on social media, superimposing the American flag on it under the caption ‘Soon.’ This prompted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to…” To be continued Sunday evening.

"I have to say this clearly to the United States," Frederiksen said. "It is completely illogical to talk about the United States taking over Greenland." The United States has no right to annex any of the three constituent countries of the Kingdom of Denmark. (For context, the Faroe Islands is the third constituent country.) Frederiksen added in a statement: “Please, stop: I therefore strongly urge the United States to cease its threats against a close historical ally, and against another country and another people who have made it absolutely clear that they are not for sale.” Greenland’s leader, Jens-Fredrik Nielsen, called Miller’s provocation “disrespectful” but urged his people not to panic. “Our country is not for sale, and our future will not be determined by social media debates,” he wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also issued statements affirming Greenland’s sovereignty. Playbook reported that Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, reiterated his belief that control of Greenland is vital to U.S. national security. “The European Union needs us in Greenland, and they know it,” Trump said. Trump’s continued focus on Greenland is raising concerns. This is especially significant given that Trump and Vance have recently declared their intention to assert control over the territory.

Before Trump announced that the United States would extract “tremendous riches” from Venezuela, his administration appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the US special envoy to Greenland. Vance has reiterated his accusations that Denmark has not done enough to provide security for Greenland.

According to experts and officials interviewed by PlayBook over the weekend, the United States may seek to seize an opportune moment to assert control over Greenland in the coming months, ahead of the US midterm elections in November and coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4.

The methods employed would likely differ from those used in Venezuela. Instead of a military operation, Washington might resort to a “political influence campaign to change the status quo,” according to Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a think tank.

This could include “efforts to buy the loyalty of local politicians as the United States seeks to consolidate its military control.” “And civil society. The Americans have a variety of tools to achieve this,” Rahman said, adding that the danger is “real and serious.”

In comments to Playbook, David McAllister, a prominent conservative German lawmaker in the European Parliament and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, affirmed the EU’s support for Denmark and Greenland. “Greenland is a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenland is a sovereign state. The people of Greenland will decide their future in Greenland,” he said. Leaders, for the most part, avoided linking Venezuela and Greenland, with one EU official telling Playbook that they were “walking on eggshells.” A statement issued by the European External Action Service, published Sunday evening and supported by 26 EU member states (all except Hungary), said that “the principles of international law and the UN Charter must, in all circumstances, be respected.” However, the statement did not mention Greenland by name. It continued, “The EU calls on all parties to exercise calm and restraint to avoid escalation and ensure a peaceful resolution of the crisis.”

The statement also called on all parties to exercise restraint and calm in order to avoid escalation and ensure a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

[Note: The sentence about the EU calling on all parties to exercise restraint is incomplete and likely refers to a separate statement.] The European Union reiterates the need to uphold the principles of international law and the UN Charter in all circumstances. Members of the UN Security Council have a special responsibility to support these principles, which are a cornerstone of the international security architecture.

The EU has repeatedly affirmed that Nicolás Maduro lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected president and has called for a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela, led by the Venezuelan people and respecting their sovereignty. The Venezuelan people’s right to self-determination must be respected.

The EU shares the priority of combating transnational organized crime and drug trafficking, which pose a serious global security threat. At the same time, it emphasizes the need to address these challenges through sustained cooperation with full respect for international law and the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

We are in close contact with the United States, as well as with regional and international partners, to support and facilitate dialogue with all relevant parties, leading to a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive solution to the crisis, led by the Venezuelan people. Respecting their will remains the only way for Venezuela to restore democracy.