The Latest: Danish prime minister vows to defend Greenland during NATO summit in Turkey
Speaking at the NATO summit in Turkey a day after U.S. President Donald Trump again expressed a desire for the U.S. to control Greenland, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “Greenland is of course not for sale.”
“We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people right for self-determination,” she said. “And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty.”
NATO leaders are trying to show increased military capabilities as the U.S. focus shifts from defending Europe. The alliance is holding a two-day summit in Ankara, Turkey, that will showcase military projects worth billions of dollars aimed at persuading Trump they are making a stronger Europe for a stronger NATO.
Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said Wednesday that Greenland’s people “do not wish to be a part of the United States” and that NATO allies should focus on the threat from Russia.
As the summit meetings began Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said overnight U.S. strikes on Iran were necessary because Iran had violated the ceasefire.
Trump met with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday ahead of the summit and announced the U.S. will lift sanctions, opening the possibility of selling F-35 jets to Turkey over Israel's objections.
Trump also criticized NATO’s abilities to function without U.S. leadership and power, expressing disappointment at the refusal of some NATO allies to join the Iran war he launched alongside Israel without consulting them.
Here is the latest:
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he expects the summit to produce “a new spirit in NATO that makes NATO stronger, that makes NATO more united.”
He vowed allies will keep helping Ukraine and pointed to a European initiative to provide a further 70 billion euros ($80 billion) this year and again next year.
Merz said “it is now exclusively up to Russia to end this war and we will do everything again today to achieve that; and also send a clear message to Moscow. Russia has no chance of winning this war.”
Finnish President Alexander Stubb reaffirmed that matters concerning Greenland are “only in the hands of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
He said it is important that the NATO alliance stays intact.
Stubb is known as a Trump whisperer in Europe.
U.S. Sen Jeanne Shaheen said she is hopeful the summit will include a recommitment to Ukraine.
“The momentum is on the side of Ukraine at this point and we need to do everything possible to ramp up pressure on Russia to come to the table,” the Democrat from New Hampshire said.
Shaheen is co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said his country was in solidarity with the United States in order to guarantee the free navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.
Nausėda said the Baltic country was ready to contribute by sending its demining mission if required.
“We have to stay united if we expect a solidarity from the side of the United States,” he said.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, when asked about Trump’s designs on Greenland, said he “rejects that kind of rhetoric, that kind of claim.”
“Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he told reporters. “It is up to the people of Greenland and Denmark to decide how that development should proceed.”
Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said in remarks Wednesday in Ankara that Greenland’s people “do not wish to be a part of the United States” and that NATO allies should focus on the threat from Russia.
“Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland,” she said.
“What we need now is unity. We have threats coming from outside the alliance,” Frostadottir said. “I mean, Russia is the biggest threat when it comes to these NATO allies. We need to focus on us and how we stick together.”
Speaking at the NATO summit a day after U.S. President Donald Trump again expressed a desire for the U.S. to control Greenland, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “Greenland is of course not for sale.”
“We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people right for self-determination,” she said. “And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty.”
She said Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory” in the event of an attack and would rely on NATO allies to honor their commitment to defend each other.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday at the alliance’s summit in Ankara that the overnight U.S. strikes on Iran were necessary.
Iran had violated the ceasefire, Rutte said.
“I think it is totally crucial that the U.S. forcefully reacts,” Rutte said.
He expects NATO members to “reconfirm that Iran should never, ever get its hands on a nuclear capability” and also to reaffirm the importance of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
© Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
