Britain in talks with Nato allies over Arctic security as US eyes Greenland
UK minister says talks on the Arctic ‘business as usual’, while Trump posits having Greenland ‘one way or the other’
Britain is discussing with Nato allies how it can help strengthen security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China, a UK government minister said on Sunday.
Britain’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks were “business as usual” rather than a response to recent threats by US President Donald Trump to take over Greenland.
Trump has said that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Nato ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from taking it over. He said on Sunday night that making a deal for Greenland would be “easier” and insisted the US needed to acquire it.
“One way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington.
Greenland, with a population of around 57,000, is defended by Denmark, whose military is dwarfed by that of the US, which has a military base on the island. Denmark’s prime minister has warned that a takeover would threaten Nato.