Bilateral Agreement, Not NATO-Wide Decision
Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, has clarified that the Greenland security framework negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with US President Donald Trump must still be presented to all NATO allies for approval. Speaking to Euronews at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Albares stressed that the arrangement is bilateral, not a NATO decision.
“This is a bilateral arrangement, not NATO. It is the Secretary General of NATO talking to one of the allies,” Albares said. He added that allied foreign ministers currently only have public knowledge of the announcement and that the agreement will be discussed in NATO’s council (Euronews).
Greenland’s Future Lies With Its People
Trump’s announcement outlined plans for the US to expand its military presence in Greenland, including additional bases in the Arctic. Albares emphasized that any decision about the territory’s future rests with Greenland and Denmark.
“The people have said very clearly that they want to remain part of Denmark,” he said. Denmark has consistently rejected any transfer of sovereignty, and polls show most Greenlanders do not want US control. Earlier, Trump had threatened tariffs on European nations, including Denmark, France, and Germany, to pressure a deal, citing national security concerns against China and Russia (Euronews).
Europe Must Strengthen Security and Deterrence
Albares also condemned the US’ approach as unacceptable and stressed that the EU would not negotiate under coercion. He called for Europe to bolster its own security and work toward a unified defense capability.
“If we want to continue being a land of peace where no one can bring war or use coercion—whether through force or trade—we need to have deterrence in our hands,” Albares told Euronews. He added that Europe should build a coalition of willing states, integrate defense industries, and eventually establish a European army to safeguard peace and sovereignty (Euronews).
