The US-Europe Dispute over Greenland: A New Rift in Trans-Atlantic Relations

Recently, the fierce clash between the United States and Europe over the issue of Greenland has become a focal point on the international political stage. This incident is like a boulder plunging into the calm lake of trans-Atlantic relations, stirring up layers of ripples and drawing widespread global attention.

A series of "astonishing remarks and actions" by US President Trump on the Greenland issue have served as a direct catalyst for the intensification of the conflict. He brazenly disclosed private information from French President Macron expressing incomprehension about his actions on this matter. He also made public the information that NATO Secretary-General Rutte said he would work to resolve the issue and declared that he had spoken with Rutte and agreed to hold a meeting on the matter in Davos, Switzerland. What's even more eye-catching is that Trump posted two highly provocative pictures on social media. One shows him holding the US flag while ascending Greenland, with US Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio standing behind him, and a sign beside him reading "Greenland will become US territory in 2026." The other depicts a scene in the White House office where he is meeting with European leaders, with a map on the display board showing that in addition to the US mainland, Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela are also covered by the US flag. These actions undoubtedly constitute a public declaration of the US's ambition regarding Greenland to European countries.

Not only that, Trump linked the "takeover" of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He claimed that since he had prevented "eight wars" but still didn't receive the prize, he was no longer obligated to only consider peace and could now consider matters beneficial to the United States. He also threatened eight European countries, announcing that he would impose a 10% tariff starting from February 1 and raise it to 25% from June 1 until the relevant parties reached an agreement on the US "takeover" of Greenland, and he explicitly stated that he would carry out this tariff threat. The various actions of the United States have put unprecedented pressure on European countries.

In the face of the strong pressure from the United States, European countries have responded differently, generally falling into two camps. One camp, represented by France and the Scandinavian countries, has publicly and strongly expressed its opposition. Belgian Prime Minister De Wever bluntly stated that the US government was "crossing the red line," and if it didn't change its course, the 80-year-old Atlanticism might come to an end. Finnish President Stubb also envisaged three scenarios: a good one where the US and Europe ease tensions and find a way out; a bad one where there is a rift between Greenland and Denmark; and an ugly one involving a military takeover that no one believes will happen. Some European leaders, such as Macron, called for considering activating the EU's trade "bazooka" (i.e., the EU's anti-coercion instrument) in response to the latest US tariff threats.

The other camp, represented by Poland, Italy, and the Baltic states, while not being completely without wariness towards the US, avoids taking countermeasures. Leaders such as British Prime Minister Starmer advocate resolving the issue through diplomatic means and warn all parties against seeking publicity. This division reflects the complex mindset of Europe when facing US pressure, both worried that taking a more confrontational stance will further alienate the United States and afraid that continuing to try to "manage" the US government rather than confront it will make it appear extremely weak.

The US attempt to "take over" Greenland has further eroded the "cornerstone" of the US-Europe alliance—trust. In the National Security Strategy report released last month, the US government raised doubts about whether some European countries could continue to be "reliable allies" of the United States in the future. Thomas Bauwens, director of the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the United States, said that the attacks on Europe have evolved into an ideology, and it would probably take a generation to restore the previous level of mutual trust.

At present, Europe faces a difficult decision. Whether resisting the US's territorial ambitions will cause irreparable damage to US-Europe relations is a question that Europe must ponder. Some European leaders seem willing to take the risk and adopt tough measures in response, while others hope to ease tensions through diplomatic means. However, in any case, the US's "unexpected" announcement of tariff increases has made Europe's decision-making even more complex.

The US-Europe dispute over Greenland is not just a simple contest over territorial issues; it is also a major test for trans-Atlantic relations, profoundly reflecting the growing divergences between the US and Europe in terms of interests, values, and strategic goals. In the future, whether trans-Atlantic relations will continue to move forward amid contradictions and frictions or head towards a complete split depends on whether the US and Europe can find effective ways to resolve the issue and rebuild mutual trust and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation.