In the face of Trump's "strong swallowing" of Greenland, Europe is bewildered

U.S. President Trump reiterated his determination to acquire Greenland on Friday, as anxiety in Europe reached its peak this week. According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump reaffirmed the need for the U.S. to obtain Greenland during a meeting with executives from major oil companies at the White House on the afternoon of the 9th. He stated: I want to make a deal in a simple way, but if that doesn't work, we will take a tough approach. Trump indicated that he has not yet considered the financial aspects of "buying" Greenland at this stage. His remarks have sparked strong reactions on both sides of the Atlantic. Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK previously issued a joint statement emphasizing that only Denmark and Greenland have the right to decide on matters concerning themselves. Reports indicate that more than a dozen diplomats, officials, and lawmakers involved in related discussions revealed that Europe acknowledges there is currently no established strategy to respond to Trump's threats, and even admits it cannot understand Trump's true intentions, nor knows how to mend this increasingly hostile relationship. Trump's previous actions in Venezuela demonstrated his determination to disregard international norms, and now he is directing this military threat towards allies, indicating that transatlantic relations are on the brink of collapse. The Danish Prime Minister warned earlier this week that an attack by the U.S. on Greenland would mean the end of the NATO alliance. Analysts believe that the EU has not designed a role to replace NATO in such crises, which will lead to a loss of coordinated military mechanisms among countries. Chaos and Helplessness Although Denmark still hopes that next week's diplomatic visit can ease the situation, European leaders are currently facing a dilemma. On one hand, they are trying to appease Trump by proposing "joint defense of Greenland against China and Russia," while on the other hand, they are concerned that such engagement may backfire. Reports indicate that privately, European officials are running through various alarming scenarios—from direct military invasion to Trump using the island as leverage in the Ukraine issue, or even using any anti-American protests on Greenland as an excuse to deploy troops. For European decision-makers, directly confronting this largest ally would come at an immeasurable cost, but making concessions would not only mean a significant humiliation but also severely weaken Europe's ambition to project global power. Ian Lesser, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, bluntly stated: Transatlantic relations are on the brink of fundamental collapse. This chaos stems from a deep confusion about Trump's intentions. Since he first proposed the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, Trump's attitude has shifted from what was initially seen as a joke to a serious political agenda. After failing to achieve his goal during his first term, Trump, now in his second term, has shown a willingness to undermine laws and alliances to achieve his objectives. Diplomatic "First Aid" In the face of an imminent crisis, European officials are engaging in frantic telephone diplomacy. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has been inundated with calls from anxious European diplomats this week, who are eager to confirm the seriousness of Trump's remarks. French President Macron told French ambassadors on Thursday: We have fallen into a very surprising game, where we French and Europeans are forced to accept a discourse on anti-colonialism that has long been detached from reality. Macron added: People are speculating every day whether Greenland will be invaded and whether Canada will face the threat of becoming the 51st state of the United States. The Danish government, at the center of the storm, has adopted a strategy described by local lawmakers as "playing both sides." Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly rejected Trump's demands in public and warned that if the U.S. attacks NATO allies, all security mechanisms will come to a halt. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen was dispatched to Washington to seek diplomatic solutions, attempting to demonstrate to U.S. Secretary of State Rubio that security goals could be better achieved through the NATO framework. At the same time, the UK is also trying to play a mediating role. UK Prime Minister Starmer spoke with Trump twice this week, defending Denmark's position and promising to jointly combat Russia's activities in the Arctic. British officials even used the recent case of assisting the U.S. in seizing a Russian-linked oil tanker to showcase Europe's value as a security partner to Washington. However, in Copenhagen, Denmark, anxiety remains high, with the frequency of intelligence briefings to parliamentary committees unusually dense, reflecting the country's deep concerns about the future. Geopolitical Game in the Arctic Behind this series of "bare-knuckle" political games, Greenland has become the perfect target in Trump's eyes due to its strategic value. The island is located in the resource-rich and strategically significant Arctic region, where not only Russia's ambitions are increasingly expanding, but the U.S. also has a special military presence through a defense agreement from 1951. Although Greenland theoretically enjoys NATO protection in this political gray area, it is not a formal member of the EU or NATO and does not have its own standing army, making it an "ideal target" in Trump's view. The Trump team even publicly stated that no one would go to war with the U.S. over this remote land. U.S. Vice President Vance bluntly stated on Thursday: We ask our European friends to take the security of that land more seriously. If they do not, the U.S. will have to take action. Regarding Russia's ambitions to open new shipping routes due to melting ice in the Arctic, NATO has begun to formulate more cohesive security measures, but in Trump's view, these actions are clearly not fast enough. For Trump, acquiring Greenland is not only about geopolitical strategy. In a time of frequent geopolitical hotspots, completing the unfinished business of previous presidents is an extremely attractive historical stance for him.