Trump’s words on Greenland and borders ring alarms in Europe, but officials have a measured response

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But many European leaders — who’ve learned to expect the unexpected from Trump and have seen that actions don’t always follow his words — have been measured in their response, with some taking a nothing-to-see-here view rather than vigorously defend European Union member Denmark.

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Several officials in Europe – where governments rely on the U.S. for trade, energy, investment, technology, and defense cooperation to ensure security – expressed their opinion that Trump has no plan to send troops to Greenland.

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“— but we must be careful, saying that borders should never be changed through the use of force” and not mentioning Trump by name.

Regardless of what’s happening globally, most people want reassurance that their nation will remain intact and won’t just disappear from the world.

—in order to protect the principle that has been the cornerstone of the international order since World War II: that major world powers are prohibited from swallowing up smaller nations.

The British and French foreign ministers said they do not envision a U.S. invasion of Greenland. Despite this, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot characterized Trump’s comments as a wake-up call.

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I don’t wish to be American, but I am prepared to cooperate more closely with the United States.

“Cooperation is all about dialogue,” said leader Múte B. Egede.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen referred to the U.S. as “our closest ally” and stated, “We have to stand together.”

Experts express concern about the implications of Trump’s statements

US security experts agree there’s no actual possibility of Trump using the military against NATO ally Denmark, but still have deep concerns.

Canada rejects repeated hints by Trump that it become a U.S. state.

There’s always the possibility that this is just a new player in town,” said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, who focuses on international relations, Russia, and Greenland at the Danish Institute for International Studies. “I take some reassurance from the fact that he’s now calling for Canada to join the US, which seems to be more a case of grandstanding politically.

I’m really concerned that damage has already been done. To be honest, I don’t recall a past situation where our most valued ally has ever threatened Denmark or any other NATO member.

Hansen expressed concerns that NATO may be unraveling even before President Trump takes office.

We’re at a loss for our understanding of collective Western values,” he said. “What does that even mean anymore? What could it possibly mean just one year from now, two years from now— at the very least, by the end of Trump’s second term?

There are some concerns that security issues could be the motivation behind certain actions.

Some diplomats and analysts say that there is a particular concern in Trump’s interest in Canada, the Panama Canal and Greenland: securing resources and waterways to bolster the U.S. against potential foes.

Paris-based analyst Alix Frangeul-Alves said Trump’s words are “all part of his “Make America Great Again” mentality.”

Critical for advanced and green technologies, China controls nearly all of the world’s supplies of these valuable minerals, which many countries, including the U.S. and European nations, consider a security threat.

“Any policy that’s created in Washington is viewed through the prism of the U.S. rivalry with China,” stated Frangeul-Alves, a U.S. politics expert at the German Marshall Fund.

Some observers note that Trump’s proposed methods are characterized by considerable risks.

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“The idea of flexible borders is an extremely hazardous precedent,” said Khara, director of the Centre for Defense Strategies in Kyiv.

We’re currently moving away from the old system that was guided by established norms and principles, and instead are heading into a period of increased conflict, disorder, and unpredictability.

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Reporters Jill Lawless in London, Raf Casert in Brussels, Daria Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, Geir Moulson and David Keyton in Berlin, and Nicole Winfield in Rome were also involved.