Bilateral Agreement Sparks Questions
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told Euronews that any security framework for Greenland negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte must be presented to all allies before approval. Albares clarified that the recent arrangement with US President Donald Trump is a bilateral deal, not a NATO-wide decision.
“This is a bilateral arrangement, not NATO. It is the Secretary General of NATO talking to one of the allies,” Albares said, adding that foreign ministers from other NATO countries currently only have the public announcement for reference. Any detailed discussions, he said, would be brought to NATO’s council (Euronews).
Greenland’s Future Belongs to Its People
Trump announced a deal aimed at expanding the US military presence in Greenland, including increasing bases in the Arctic. Albares stressed that only Greenland and Denmark can decide the territory’s future.
“The people have said very clearly that they want to remain as part of Denmark,” he told Euronews. Denmark has repeatedly rejected any sale of the territory, and polls show most Greenlanders oppose US sovereignty. Earlier, Trump had threatened tariffs on European countries to pressure a deal, citing national security concerns against China and Russia.
Europe Must Strengthen Its Own Defence
Albares condemned Washington’s approach as unacceptable and warned that the EU will not negotiate under coercion. He called for stronger European security and a move toward a unified defence strategy.
“If we want to continue being a land of peace where no one can impose war or use coercion—through force or trade—we need deterrence in our own hands,” he said. Albares added that Europe should build a coalition of willing states, integrate defence industries, and ultimately move toward a European army to protect its values and sovereignty (Euronews).
