NUUK/WASHINGTON:
Greenland’s political parties issued a rare united rebuke to Washington after US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich autonomous Danish territory, prompting alarm in Europe and underscoring a broader, increasingly muscular US stance in many areas.
The leaders of all five parties in Greenland’s parliament said they rejected power from either Washington or Copenhagen, insisting the island’s future should be decided by Greenlanders alone, without pressure, interference or snap decisions imposed by outside powers.
Trump said the United States is “going to do something in Greenland whether we like it or not,” arguing that control of the strategically located Arctic island is vital to US national security amid growing Russian and Chinese military activity in the region.
Denmark and its European allies reacted with shock, scrambling diplomatically as Trump refused to rule out military action after reviving the idea of buying Greenland, a proposal first mooted during his previous presidency and flatly rejected.
Greenland, a former Danish colony that gained its sovereignty in 1979, is moving steadily towards eventual independence, although views are divided on the timetable, with the ruling coalition opposing a rush and the opposition Naleraq party calling for a faster secession.
A poll published by Danish news agency Ritzau said more than 38 percent of Danes believe the United States could launch an invasion of Greenland under Trump, underscoring concern over rhetoric that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned could end NATO itself.
Trump tried to soften his tone toward Denmark while rejecting historical claims, saying a landing “500 years ago” did not provide ownership, even as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepared talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials.
The Greenland crisis unfolded as Trump aggressively pushed elsewhere, most notably Venezuela, where he sent the country’s vast oil reserves directly to U.S. energy officials after President Nicolas Maduro was arrested by U.S. forces.
Trump told oil chiefs that the US government, not Caracas, would decide which companies operate in Venezuela, promising “absolute security” and signaling that Washington would close deals immediately, effectively removing Venezuelan authorities from control of their resources.
Major companies have responded cautiously, with the head of ExxonMobil calling Venezuela a “non-investor” without sweeping reforms, citing past asset seizures, while analysts warned that infrastructure, political uncertainty and heavy crude complicate any rapid revival. The government claims at least $100 billion could be invested and says Washington will control Venezuela’s oil industry “indefinitely”, even as interim authorities insist they remain in charge and negotiations continue behind closed doors.
Trump’s Latin American push has also reshaped relations with Colombia, where he announced that President Gustavo Petro will visit the White House in February, marking a thaw after threats, visa suspensions and harsh rhetoric about drugs and deportations.
The shift came days after Trump warned Petros to “watch” his back over criticism of the Venezuela operation, reflecting a pattern of confrontation followed by pragmatic recalibration similar to Trump’s earlier reconciliation with Brazil’s president.
In Bolivia, US drug enforcement officials are back for the first time since 2008, participating in aerial searches of coca-growing areas as Bolivia’s new government seeks closer cooperation, prompting criticism from coca producers who accuse the government of acting as a US proxy.
US pressure has extended to Cuba, where intelligence estimates have painted a bleak economic picture marked by blackouts, sanctions and pressure, though they do not support Trump’s claim that Havana is “ready to fall” after the rerouting of Venezuelan oil flows.
a href=”https://tribune.com.pk/story/2586531/greenland-parties-reject-us-bid-for-takeover”>Source link
