Bilateral Deal, Not NATO-Wide Approval
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares clarified on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that a security arrangement for Greenland negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte must still be reviewed by all NATO allies. Speaking to Euronews, Albares stressed that the agreement reached with US President Donald Trump is a bilateral matter.
“This is a bilateral arrangement, not NATO. It is the Secretary General of NATO talking to one of the allies,” he said. Albares added that allied foreign ministers currently only have the public announcement and that details will eventually be brought before NATO’s council (Euronews).
Greenland’s Future Lies with Denmark and Its People
The deal, announced by Trump, would allow the US to increase its military presence in Greenland and expand Arctic bases. Albares emphasized that Greenlanders and Denmark alone have the right to decide the territory’s future.
“The people have said very clearly that they want to remain part of Denmark,” he said. Denmark has repeatedly rejected any sale, and polls show most Greenlanders do not want to come under US control. Earlier, Trump had threatened tariffs on several European countries to push a Greenland deal, citing national security concerns regarding China and Russia (Euronews).
Europe Must Strengthen Security Independence
Albares criticized the US approach as unacceptable and called on the EU to assert its sovereignty and values without yielding to pressure. He argued that Europe must enhance its security, build deterrence, and move towards a unified European army.
“If we want to remain a land of peace where no one can impose war or coercion—through force or trade—we need deterrence in our hands,” Albares told Euronews. He added that Europe should form a coalition of willing states, integrate its defence industries, and ultimately create a European army to protect peace and sovereignty (Euronews).
