L'Donald Trump's interest in Greenland is not new, but he has become an obsession. In a few weeks, the claims of the American president on this territory of the Arctic under Danish sovereignty became one of the most acute tension subjects between the United States and Europe, throwing a raw light on Washington's contempt for international law, Europeans and the transatlantic alliance.
Tension has still mounted a notch on Tuesday, March 25, with the announcement of the visit, Friday, March 28, of the vice-president JD Vance and his wife on the spatial base of Pituffik, which the American forces in Greenland have been maintaining for many years. In a video message broadcast on social network X, Mr. Vance said that the announcement of his wife's visit, USHA, “Had aroused such excitation” that he had decided to join her, “To be briefed on arctic security issues” And “See where the security of Greenland is”.
In reality, Washington changed the nature of the initially planned visit, faced with the lifting of shields that she had lifted in Denmark and Europe. Mme Vance, the vice-president's wife, was to go with her son to attend, on Saturday March 29, to a sled dog championship. Curiously, she had to be accompanied by the national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and the energy secretary, Chris Wright. Two US military wholesalers had already landed on Monday in Greenland to disembark security personnel.
The problem is that, denying President Trump according to which this visit took place at the request of the Greenland authorities, the latter quickly said not only that they had invited anyone, occupied that they are to form a government following the recent elections, but that they judged the American visit “Very aggressive”. Protest demonstrations were in preparation within the population of 56,500 inhabitants.
Crimea memories
Finally, the civil party of the visit is canceled, Mme Vance will not see “This monumental race” sled dogs of which she had delighted in a statement announcing her trip and renounces “Celebrate unity and culture” Greenland. On the other hand, the level of the delegation is high, with the participation of the vice-president itself. It's a way to avoid Mme Vance and to American voters the inconvenience of a hostile reception, while maintaining the claim of a control by the United States of this territory depending on the Danish crown.
Because this is the problem. The formulation regularly used by President Trump about Greenland leaves little doubt about his intentions: “We really need it for global securityhe said recently, And I think we are going to have it. In one way or another, we will have it. »» Without the slightest foundation, Mr. Vance also treats Denmark to “Bad ally”.
The Prime Minister of Denmark puts Frederiksen, judges these pressures “Unacceptable” And she is right. If Europeans ignore what the ” either way ” From Donald Trump, the memory of the “little green men” sent by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in 2014, to take control of the Crimea is fresh enough for these threats to be taken seriously. European solidarity with Denmark must be flawless: let Donald Trump take control over Greenland would be a fundamental error.
Source: Lemonde