EU leaders warn Trump not to meddle with Europe’s borders after Greenland threat

In my discussions with our European partners, a certain lack of understanding has emerged with regard to recent statements from the USA,

Scholz said

The Danes are hoping that this will blow over with time,

he added

The principle of inviolability of borders applies to every country, regardless of whether it is to the east or west of us,

said Scholz,

Justin Trudeaucanadian Prime Minister

There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,

Trudeau said

This principle applies and is a foundation of our peaceful order,

Scholz told reporters

We are talking about fairly wild hypothetical stuff about an administration that hasn't come in yet."

As for Trump’s refusal to rule out military action to take over Greenland, a European Commission spokesperson said

But we are indeed speaking of something extremely theoretical on which we will not want to elaborate,

she said

There is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either,

she added

Lars Løkke Rasmussendanish Foreign Minister

I do not get any impression that we are in any foreign policy crisis,

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told Danish media

Lars Løkke Rasmussendanish Foreign Minister

Combined with the melting in the Arctic and new shipping routes opening up, we unfortunately also see increasing great power rivalries,

Rasmussen said, calling American interest in the Danish territory in that global context “legitimate,” and that

We need Greenland for national security purposes,

he added

Jens Stoltenbergformer norwegian prime minister

I agree with Prime Minister Frederiksen, who said she cannot imagine the situation coming to that,

Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg backed Denmark’s prime minister as well ... he said, referring to a hypothetical U.S. invasion of Greenland

I think we can all do ourselves a favor and turn down the pulse a little bit,

he added

We see a Russia that is also rearming itself. We see a China that is also beginning to take an interest. It is entirely legitimate that both from the American side and, for that matter, NATO’s side — and thereby also Denmark —there is attention to this,

he added

The sovereignty of states has to be respected. It is also our diplomatic value and a key principle we are working on. On our side, we are looking forward to work to a stronger transatlantic agenda with the next US administration towards common goals and issues of key strategic interests

Quote from Hipper

I can’t assure you,

Trump said in response to a reporter’s question

It is clear that the sovereignty of states has to be respected,

Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said

Before that, for some months publicly, the Commission, the EEAS and diplomats in some member states were stating that an invasion was a hypothetical scenario, so there’s no need to intervene,

said correspondent of the Italian Radio Radicale, David Carretta

You say that sovereignty is paramount, but you’re not going to comment on a pretty naked threat from the incoming president of the United States. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around that, I mean, what are you waiting for?”

asked Euractiv’s Nicholas Wallace, to no clear response

What President Trump said yesterday was a military threat to a member state, which is real: He is the president-elect of the most powerful country in the world. Are you conscious that there is a risk?”

he added