Ukraine, not Greenland, should be NATO's main priority, Rutte says
Ukraine, not Greenland, should be the main priority for NATO, Mark Rutte, secretary general of the military alliance, said on Jan. 21 at a panel session at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos.
President Donald Trump has pressed Danish and Greenlandic authorities to sell the strategically important island to the U.S., not ruling out the use of military force and threatening tariffs on eight European countries opposing the move. The pressure has led to a major crisis in U.S.-European relations.
"On Greenland, we have to make sure that that issue gets solved in an amicable way," Rutte said. "But the main issue is not Greenland. Now, the main issue is Ukraine."
He said he was "worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues."
"Focus on Ukraine should be our number one priority, and then we can discuss all the issues, including Greenland," Rutte said. "But it should be Ukraine first, because it is crucial for our European and U.S. security."
He also said that he is working "behind the scenes" to diffuse disagreements between the European Union and the U.S. over Greenland. Rutte believes that public disputes could hinder diplomatic efforts.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the Davos forum on Jan. 20 that his country stands "firmly with Greenland and Denmark" and fully supports "their unique right to determine Greenland’s future."
He also said that Canada is working with "NATO allies (including the Nordic Baltic 8) to further secure the alliance’s northern and western flanks, including through Canada’s unprecedented investments in over-the-horizon radar, submarines, aircraft, and boots on the ground."
Carney argued that Canada is "rapidly diversifying abroad," including through a comprehensive strategic partnership with the European Union."
"On Ukraine, we are a core member of the Coalition of the Willing and one of the largest per-capita contributors to its defense and security," he added.
Carney also said that there is a "rupture in the world order, the end of a nice story, and the beginning of a brutal reality where geopolitics among the great powers is not subject to any constraints."
