U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited the controversy over Greenland, asserting the need for the U.S. to control the territory ahead of the NATO summit, prompting a strong backlash from Denmark.
According to the Associated Press, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated on July 8 in Ankara, Turkey, before the NATO summit, "Greenland is certainly not for sale." He emphasized the importance of respecting the self-determination of Greenland's residents and Denmark's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
On the eve of the summit, Trump reiterated his previous claim that "the U.S. should control Greenland," which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. The AP noted that Trump's comments have stirred controversy given NATO's commitment to mutual defense among member states.
The official agenda of the summit focuses on the implementation of increased defense spending by member countries. Trump has long argued that the U.S. bears an excessive burden for NATO defense. Last year, NATO members agreed to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to security-related expenditures.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for member states to present "clear, specific, and credible plans" to meet defense spending goals. According to data released by NATO the previous day, Slovenia, Belgium, Spain, and the Czech Republic have not yet met the existing target of 2% of GDP for defense spending.
In addition to defense spending discussions, tensions surrounding Iran are also escalating at the summit. Stoltenberg described the U.S. airstrikes against Iran as "absolutely necessary," stating, "Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz while a ceasefire was in place," and emphasized the importance of a strong U.S. response.
The U.S. conducted airstrikes against targets in Iran in retaliation for attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. also revoked licenses that allowed the sale of Iranian oil. The AP reported that this action highlights the fragility of the temporary agreement between the U.S. and Iran.
Europe and Canada are wary of Trump potentially pressuring allies over the Iran issue. Previously, Trump demanded "loyalty" from some allies who did not allow U.S. forces to use their bases for attacks on Iran and criticized NATO as a "paper tiger."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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