Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made significant remarks ahead of the NATO Summit in Washington. Frederiksen said that Europe must rearm and NATO must be strengthened in the face of growing security threats.
Stating that transatlantic defense industry cooperation must be strengthened, the Danish Prime Minister called for more aid to Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia. Frederiksen said, "We must ensure that the only just winner of this war is Ukraine. Our determination to stand together is perhaps more important than ever before."
Warning to the US on Greenland
Frederiksen criticized the US approach to Greenland and sent a clear message. "Greenland is of course not for sale," Frederiksen said, adding that they expect everyone, including allies, to respect the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. The Danish Prime Minister stated, "We are a sovereign state; everyone must respect our territorial integrity and sovereignty. We are ready to defend every inch of NATO territory, including our own."
Emphasis on NATO's Article 5
Frederiksen expressed full commitment to NATO's collective defense principle, Article 5. "If something happens to one of us, everyone must stand up for each other. Article 5 is our insurance," Frederiksen said, noting that this principle applies to the eastern flank as much as it did for the US after the September 11 attacks and for Greenland. Stating that she has no doubt about the US commitment to Article 5, Frederiksen assessed, "Without NATO, I cannot ensure the security of my people. It is thanks to NATO that people across the transatlantic area can be safe."
Support from Iceland's Prime Minister
Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir also commented on the issue. Frostadottir said, "Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people. They do not want to be part of the US. They are very clear on this." Noting that NATO has grown even stronger in the last 12 months, the Icelandic Prime Minister stressed the need to focus on the Russian threat rather than the Greenland discussions.
