2026-01-10 08:56
publication
2026-01-10 08:56
We want an agreement on Greenland, but if we don't do it kindly, we will do it in a more difficult way, said US President Donald Trump on Friday during a meeting with the heads of oil companies. He stressed that if the US does not do it, Russia or China will do it.
– We will do something about Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't, Russia or China will take over Greenland. If we don't do it the good way, we'll do it the harder way,” Trump said during a White House briefing on the future of Venezuela's oil sector. Trump added that while he is a “fan” of Denmark, “just because they landed there by boat 500 years ago doesn't mean they own the land.” He also repeated that he would not have Russia or China as a neighbor.
Trump has repeatedly said that he would like to make a deal on Greenland, but that whether he (the Danes) wants it or not, he will get the island.
When asked about reports of the possibility of paying tens of thousands of dollars to each resident of the island, Trump said he was not thinking about it – yet. But he added that this could happen in the future.
Trump emphasized that the US must take possession of the island.
– You have to have ownership, you can't defend leasing. And we want to defend Greenland. If we don't do it, China or Russia will do it, he repeated.
The leader also downplayed the importance of NATO, claiming that if it were not for him, the alliance would not exist.
The US president characterized his actions towards Venezuela in a similar way, claiming that if he had not removed Nicolas Maduro, Russia or China would have taken control of the country. He also noted that he is open to doing business with both countries, especially China, regarding the sale of crude oil to them.
Trump also criticized Europe's approach to security, claiming that Russia is not afraid of it and that the only country Moscow is afraid of is the United States. He recalled that when the US seized a Russian tanker, Moscow decided not to take action.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
Finland: If the US uses force to take over Greenland, it will be a disaster for the West
If the US carried out a military operation to take over Greenland, it would be a catastrophic situation because a NATO country would intervene militarily in the territory of another ally, said the head of the Finnish government, Petteri Orpo.
According to the Prime Minister of Finland, US President Donald Trump's announcements regarding the takeover of Greenland (an autonomous territory formally belonging to Denmark) by any means, including the use of force, are part of his rhetoric and negotiation tactics and do not necessarily indicate that the US will attack the island. Orpo recalled in an interview with Radio Yle on Friday that recently it has happened many times when Trump says one thing and the head of American diplomacy, Marco Rubio, does another. A few days ago, the US Secretary of State pointed out, for example, the possible purchase of an Arctic island by Washington.
– However, the consequences of a military solution would be very serious for (the Alliance's) defense and cooperation within NATO. European security would be weakened. From Finland's perspective, such a move would be “very bad,” Orpo admitted.
In the Prime Minister's opinion, regardless of the competition between superpowers for Arctic resources, NATO is valuable to the US because this organization includes Washington's key allies and trade partners. Orpo emphasized that this situation should be considered in the context of US alliances in various parts of the world, which constitute a “competitive advantage” of the United States over China.
Trump recently told the New York Times that Washington may have to “choose” between Greenland and NATO because if the U.S. doesn't do so, Russia or China will take over the island. The American president repeated a similar view on Friday, when he said that the United States must take over Greenland “kindly or in a more difficult way” if it “does not want to have Russia or China as a neighbor.”
From Helsinki Przemysław Molik (PAP)
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