I cannot ‘promise’ the US will remain in NATO – Stoltenberg

The bloc’s former secretary general has urged Europeans to take threats from the White House seriously

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said he cannot promise that the US will remain in the bloc in a recent interview with Der Spiegel. He added that European countries must take Washington seriously when it says it wants to take over Greenland.

US President Donald Trump has recently renewed his push to annex the mineral-rich Arctic island, and has refused to rule out withdrawing the US from NATO if the bloc opposes his ambitions, escalating tensions with European allies and calling into question the future unity of the organization.

Stoltenberg welcomed the European response, pointing to joint statements from the Nordic countries, Germany, and other European states backing Copenhagen and reaffirming that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. He added that respecting the sovereignty of NATO allies is essential.

”We must engage with the United States, which also means speaking up when we disagree,” the former NATO chief said.

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Denmark insists the island is not for sale and that its future must be decided by its residents, who voted in 2008 to retain their autonomy within the Danish realm, which includes the right to regulate mining.

Trump claims that only US sovereignty can protect the island from being taken over by China or Russia – an allegation dismissed by both countries.

He warned on Friday that he could impose tariffs on US trading partners that refuse to support his push to acquire Greenland.

After meetings in Washington last week, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen acknowledged a “fundamental disagreement” but said he hoped a newly established bilateral working group would help resolve the issue.

France has warned Washington that any attempt to seize Greenland would be ‘crossing the line’ and threaten economic ties with the EU, the Financial Times reported this week.

Denmark has teamed up with France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the UK to send small contingents of troops to the island ahead of the bloc’s Arctic Endurance exercises later next week.