Denmark, which is also a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) along with six other member countries of the alliance, called for respect for "sovereignty, territorial integrity, and border integrity" of Greenland in a joint statement, following the latest statement of interest of the United States in the autonomous Danish region in the Arctic.
"Greenland belongs to its people. Only Denmark and Greenland, and they are the ones who have the right to decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland," the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement, reported Anadolu (7/1).
The statement further emphasized that Arctic security remains a "top priority for Europe," reiterating that many European allies are increasing their presence, activities, and investments to maintain security in the region.
"Therefore, security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively, together with NATO allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders. These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them," the leaders said.
They also noted that the US is "an important partner in this effort, as a NATO ally and through the 1951 defense agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States."
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to take over Greenland, an autonomous territory within Denmark, and has not ruled out the possibility of doing so with military force.
A day after a US military operation in Venezuela that arrested President Nicolas Maduro, President Trump on Sunday renewed his call for the takeover of Greenland by America for the sake of US security.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged President Trump to "stop the threat."
Several European countries, as well as the European Union, expressed strong support for Denmark and Greenland on Monday, rejecting the notion that the island's future could be determined by outside powers and stressing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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