Politico: Europe prepares options to counter US takeover of Greenland

If earlier European governments did not realize the seriousness of the US president's threats Donald Trump they now realize this. Now, European politicians are looking for a plan to stop it. This was reported by the newspaper Politico citing unnamed European politicians and diplomats familiar with the matter.

"We have to be prepared for a direct confrontation with Trump. He is in an aggressive mode, and we need to be prepared," the European diplomat said.

Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he plans to discuss the acquisition of Greenland with Danish officials next week. The White House has said that Trump would like to acquire the territory through negotiations, but that a military takeover is also possible.

As diplomatic efforts in Europe intensify, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that he and his colleagues from Germany and Poland discussed a joint European response to Trump's threats.

Politico spoke with NATO officials, diplomats, experts, and insiders to determine how Europe can deter the US president from doing so, and what options it has if he does decide to do so.

"Everyone is very stunned and does not know what tools we actually have. No one knows exactly what to do, because the Americans can do whatever they want. But we need answers to these questions immediately. They cannot wait for three, five or seven years," said the former Danish MP.

The day before, the media outlined the steps Trump could take to seize Greenland. Now, the flip side of the coin: what Europe can do to stop him.

The first option is to seek a compromise. Trump has said that Greenland is vital to US security and accuses Denmark of not protecting itself enough from China and Russia in the Arctic.

A negotiated settlement that results in something that Trump can perceive as a victory and that allows Denmark and Greenland to save face is probably the quickest way out. A former NATO official suggested that the Alliance could mediate between Greenland, Denmark and the United States, as it has done with Turkey and Greece in their disputes.

NATO allies are also considering new steps that could strengthen Greenland's security, despite the widespread belief that any direct threat from Russian and Chinese ships in the area is exaggerated.

Among other proposals, the Alliance should consider accelerating defense spending in the Arctic, conducting more military exercises in the region, and deploying troops to ensure Greenland's security and, if necessary, reassure the United States, three NATO diplomats said.

The alliance should also be open to creating an Arctic Sentinel scheme – moving its troops to the region – similar to the Eastern Sentinel and Baltic Sentinel initiatives, the two diplomats said.

"Everything that can be done to strengthen the Alliance's presence near Greenland and meet Trump's demands should be used to the fullest," said one of the aforementioned NATO diplomats.

Trump also says he wants Greenland because of its vast mineral deposits and potential oil and gas reserves. But there's a reason why Greenland remains largely untapped: extracting the resources is difficult and very expensive, making them less competitive than Chinese imports.

The second option is to give Greenland a lot of money. The Trump administration is strongly supporting the Greenland independence movement. The idea is that if the Arctic territory secedes from Denmark and signs an agreement with the United States, it will be flooded with American money.

While Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of military force to take over Greenland, he has also insisted that he wants it to happen voluntarily. The European Union and Denmark are trying to convince the Greenlanders that they can offer them a better deal.

According to a draft proposal by the European Commission published in September, Brussels plans to more than double its spending on Greenland from 2028 as part of long-term budget plans developed after Trump began making claims.

Under these plans, which are subject to further negotiations between member states, the EU will almost double its spending on Greenland to €530 million over a seven-year period starting in 2028. This is in addition to the funds that Denmark sends to Greenland under the agreement.

Greenland will also be able to apply for additional funding of €44 million from the EU budget for remote areas associated with European countries, according to the same document. Currently, Danish and European support is mainly focused on social welfare, healthcare, education and the green transition. Under the new spending plans, this focus will be expanded to develop the island's mineral resource potential.

The third option is an economic response. The EU has one powerful policy tool it could use to rein in Trump: the Anti-Coercion Instrument, a "trade bazooka" created after the first Trump administration that allows the EU to take retaliatory action against trade discrimination.

The European Union threatened to apply it after Trump imposed duties on the bloc's countries, but postponed it in July after the parties reached an agreement.

As the US continues to impose duties on EU goods, Brussels may once again use its power.

"Our exports to the United States are just over €600 billion, and for about a third of these products we have more than 50% of the market, and it is quite clear that this is also our strength," said Bernd Lange, Chairman of the European Parliament's Trade Committee.

But Trump will have to believe that the EU is serious, given that all his tough statements last time led to nothing.

The fourth option is ground troops. If the United States does decide to seize Greenland by force, there is little Europeans can do to prevent it.

From a legal point of view, Denmark may be forced to respond militarily. According to the 1952 order, troops must "immediately start fighting without waiting for orders or seeking them" in "the event of an attack on Danish territory."

European nations should weigh the possibility of deploying troops to Greenland if Denmark asks to do so to increase the potential cost of US military action, an EU diplomat said, repeating speculation that Berlin and Paris could send forces to deter any invasion.

Although these forces are unlikely to be able to resist a US invasion, they will act as a deterrent.

• On January 3, 2026, Trump adviser Miller's wife, Katie, revealed a map of Greenland in the colors of the US flag. In Denmark, they recalled the allied commitments of the United States and told about the consequences of a possible attack.
• In the comments LIGA.net the Danish MP said that if Trump will be allowed to take Greenland this legitimizes Putin's aggression.
• According to The Economist, the US prepare a deal with Greenland, bypassing Denmark, to conclude the COFA treaty, which provides for freedom of action for the US Army.