Starmer says he ‘stands’ with Denmark amid Trump’s threats over Greenland
Sir Keir Starmer has said he “stands” with Denmark after Donald Trump threatened to annex Greenland.
The Prime Minister added that his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen was “right” to refuse the US president any claim to the territory.
Sir Keir’s signal of solidarity with European Nato ally Denmark comes as the US president suggested over the weekend that Venezuela may not be the last country subject to American intervention, after his administration raided Caracas and captured president Nicolas Maduro.
“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” Mr Trump told the Atlantic magazine, following the operation in Venezuela.
The Danish leader hit back, writing in a statement that “the US has no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom”, of which Greenland is one.
Asked during a visit to a community centre in Berkshire about Ms Frederiksen’s strong language, Sir Keir told Sky News: “Well, I stand with her, and she’s right about the future of Greenland.”
The Prime Minister was asked by the BBC if he agreed with calls from the Danes for the US president to stop proposing American annexation of the island.
“Yes,” Sir Keir replied, adding: “Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark are to decide the future of Greenland, and only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.
“Denmark is a close ally in Europe, it is a Nato ally, and it’s very important the future of Greenland is, as I say, for the Kingdom of Denmark, and for Greenland, and only for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.”
The Labour Government has in recent months been forging closer ties with Denmark, and has been taking cues from Ms Frederiksen’s government – which is of a similar political tradition – on how to crack down on illegal migration.
Washington over the weekend removed Venezuela’s president Maduro from the country, and has taken him to New York where he is set to face a courtroom on Monday on charges of “narco-terrorism”.
The move, seen as the most assertive US intervention to achieve regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, has sparked murmurs among Trump allies for the president to follow through on his suggestions of acquiring Greenland as an American territory.
‘Soon’
Katie Miller, the wife of one of Mr Trump’s senior aides Stephen Miller, posted a picture on social media of Greenland in the colours of the American flag alongside the word “soon” following the Venezuela operation.
Among the reasons Mr Trump and his allies have expressed a desire to take over Greenland is for the defence of the US against the threat of Russia, and China, in the high Arctic.
The territory is also home to vast natural resources however, including oil and gas, and rare earth minerals.
Downing Street sought to strike a conciliatory tone over the future of Greenland, amid the division between two of the UK’s allies.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We all agree the collective threat we’re facing in the Arctic is from Russia, which is why the Nato alliance has stepped up, including increasing our collective defence spending to ensure we can protect and defend the Euro-Atlantic region from increasing Russian threats.”
Sir Keir is likely to discuss the situation when he speaks with Mr Trump following a meeting of the coalition of the willing, a group of Ukraine’s allies, on Tuesday.
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What he should say is, “Britain will defend Greenland against any incursions or attempt at annexation”.
Except we cannot do that for the same reason we cannot defend Ukraine. Nuclear weapons.
Um, we have them too. Even our government does not know where they are but they are under our control in our submarines. Why are we scared? Why is Europe scared? What would Margaret Thatcher or Churchill have done?
I understand we are at the mercy of US upgrades and maintenance, we have the bits that go bang on the subs, they are ours but the bits that get the bangy bits to their destinations are US controlled to some extent. Same for fighters, software upgrades parts etc.
I have no doubt trump has told Starmer to play ball or he yanks contracts. We are finding the price of what a US with a violent thug in charge is like.
Nuclear weapons do not make us braver, they make escalation catastrophic. The UK cannot “defend Greenland” against another nuclear-armed power any more than it can fight Russia directly in Ukraine. That is not weakness, it’s reality. In the 1980s, both Reagan and Thatcher would have waged war against the Soviet Union if they could, but they ultimately understood the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). However hard-line their anti-communist rhetoric was they avoided direct war with the USSR because they knew nuclear escalation cannot be controlled once certain thresholds are crossed. Churchill understood the same truth. After 1945, he accepted… Read more »
The British government needs to show a bit of backbone. The Venezuela abduction is against International Law and they should say so. Likewise an invasion of Greenland. Appeasing Trump will only encourage him.
I would hope the MOD has put in place a plan for ‘locking down’ US military aircraft based in the UK should Trump order an invasion of Greenland. Britain should not be complicit in such actions. If Britain stands firm then so will the EU.
Last Call for Peter Sellers…
He should focus on UK instead, or risk being another Tony Blair https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20251209-tarnished-legacy-what-role-for-tony-blair-in-trump-peace-plan-for-gaza Denmark is a wealthy country and can defend itself. UK prime ministers seem to be obsessed with their own legacies, incomes and avoiding the voters. Starmer travels on private planes, when he could be travelling in economy and discussing voters issues while he is sat next to them; he allowed consultants to write the Industrial Strategy that consultants will deliver; he has appointed a business leaders from loss-making John Lewis to resolve industrial relations issues (John Lewis group has enormous staffing issues, very poor customer experience and… Read more »
If Twmp says it his then it is and it will get “Twmp Green Lands” a golf resort in the bag for warmer times. The best radar, SAMs and rapid response too…
You don’t hear Israel or Ukraine complain about patriot missiles, Austin would have them down the UK east coast in a flash…
Jimmy Kimmel would not just be banned but banged-up if he was in Clark’s court…
Amir do you understand the idea of irony, if so let the mod know…
Bit surprised, semblance of a spine appearing?
Or EU tugging at the other end that trump is.
I think he responds to a Boometer…
I expect there are war-gamers who have recorded the retreating ice effect to see who might win if the changing climate warms the ‘north-west passage’ the northern fleets of which nations beside the US and Russia would prevail…?
I think that the last of the White Berets have crossed the bar so the Cod Wars and the Falklands for past experience of cold seas warfare for the UK plus the Trawlermen !
NATO in Europe should, as requested by Trump, ramp up its defensive posture in Europe with long-term training exercises involving thousands from all European members and partners such as Ukraine. These should be held somewhere with lots of space, geopolitically neutral and cold to properly test kit and equipment. Greenland seems ideal.
Polar Bears for Peace; some 2,200 bears are defending Greenland’s west coast 24/7…
From Don Jr and his mates fur coat trade…