What the leaders said
On Tuesday 6 January 2026, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark issued a joint statement saying that “Greenland belongs to its people” and that “it is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland”. They said sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders were “universal principles, and we will not stop defending them”. Reuters and Dawn reported the statement.
Why it happened
The statement followed renewed remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has said in recent days that the United States wants to gain control of Greenland. Trump said on Sunday that “we’ll worry about Greenland in about two months”. Reuters reported that the US military operation in Venezuela, which removed President Nicolás Maduro, had rekindled fears in Copenhagen that Greenland might face similar pressure. Canada and the Netherlands also backed the European statement.
NATO and Arctic security
The leaders said Arctic security “remains a key priority” and must be achieved collectively with NATO allies including the United States. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “No member should attack or threaten another member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Otherwise, NATO would lose its meaning.” Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark trusts its NATO membership and rejected assertions that Greenland was “plastered with Chinese investments”, adding that the United States was welcome to invest more on the island. Separately, the Nordic foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden said the matter was for Denmark and Greenland to decide alone.
What remains uncertain
Greenland’s government said it had requested an urgent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, welcomed the European statement and repeated his call for a “respectful dialogue” with Washington. US special envoy Jeff Landry told CNBC that security “should be a major concern for the United States” and said: “I think we should ask the Greenlanders.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller dismissed Danish sovereignty concerns, telling CNN the world is governed by “strength… force… power”. As of 6 January, no meeting date had been set and no change to Greenland’s constitutional status had been announced.
Sources & reporting notes
This article is an original synthesis of a primary Nordic government statement and independent wire and newspaper reporting from 6 January 2026; it is not eyewitness reporting.
- Reuters — European leaders rally behind Greenland in face of renewed US threat6 January 2026 · Independent reporting on the joint statement, NATO reaction and US responses.
- Dawn (AFP) — European leaders voice support for Denmark after Trump claims on Greenland6 January 2026 · Independent account of the statement, its signatories and the Greenland context.
- Government of Sweden — Joint statement by the Nordic Foreign Ministers on Greenland6 January 2026 · Primary record of the separate Nordic statement on Arctic security and Greenland.
