A government minister announced Sunday that Britain is holding discussions with NATO allies on how it can contribute to strengthening security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted that the talks are “business as usual” rather than a reaction to to take over .
On Friday, Trump stated that he wants to make a semiautonomous region of to prevent Russia or China from taking control of it.
“We will act on Greenland whether they like it or not,” Trump said Friday.
Greenland, home to approximately 57,000 people, is defended by Denmark—whose military is far smaller than that of the U.S., which maintains a military base on the island. Denmark’s prime minister has issued a warning that a .
Alexander noted that the UK shares Trump’s view that Russia and China are growing more competitive in the Arctic Circle.
“Whilst we haven’t seen the appalling consequences in that part of the world that we’ve seen in Ukraine, it is really important that we do everything that we can with all of our NATO allies to ensure that we have an effective deterrent in that part of the globe against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” Alexander told the BBC.
Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the U.S.—who was because of his friendship with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein—said he does not think Trump will take Greenland by force.
“He’s not a fool,” Mandelson said. “We are all going to have to wake up to the reality that the Arctic needs securing against China and Russia. And if you ask me who is going to lead in that effort to secure, we all know, don’t we, that it’s going to be the United States.”
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, proposed that Britain offer to deploy troops to Greenland under a joint command with Denmark.
“If Trump is serious about security, he’d agree to participate and drop his outrageous threats,” Davey said. “Tearing the NATO alliance apart would only play into the hands of Putin.”
It remains uncertain if the U.S. decided to forcibly take control of the island or if they would come to Denmark’s aid.