Italian PM Meloni: U.S. military intervention in Greenland would be unacceptable

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday added to the chorus of European voices speaking out against U.S. military intervention in Greenland, adding it would be disastrous for Washington and NATO. 

In an address this week, Ms. Meloni doubted the possibility that President Trump would launch a military invasion of Greenland to force the island nation under Washington’s control. 

“I continue not to believe in the hypothesis that the United States would launch a military action to take control of Greenland, an option I would clearly not support,” Mr. Meloni said. “I believe it would not be in anyone’s interest. I think it would not even be in the interest of the United States of America, to be clear.”

The U.S. military operation on Jan. 3 that arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reignited fears among some in Europe who feel that it could be the prelude to a similar operation in Greenland, which Mr. Trump has coveted long before his return to office last year. 

Mr. Trump and his allies have argued that Greenland is a necessary strategic node in the North Atlantic to combat Chinese and Russian influence and defend the U.S. homeland along with NATO. The Arctic island, whose foreign policy is governed largely by Denmark, is also rich in rare earth minerals, the ownership of which is another strategic goal for the Trump administration. 

Earlier this week, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller refused to rule out using military force against Greenland. However, the White House confirmed that negotiations are ongoing and that the U.S. is considering purchasing control of Greenland in addition to using military force. 

Ms. Meloni’s statement follows a joint letter from earlier this week, signed by leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K, that rejected calls for U.S. dominance of Greenland. 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday even appeared to compare Mr. Trump’s threats of a Greenland takeover with the actions and rhetoric of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is leading an almost 4-year-long war effort in Ukraine. 

“They dream of exploiting our divisions once again, as they have done for centuries,” Mr. Barrot said Friday in an address to French ambassadors. “They are already beginning to test the strength of our Union through threats and coercion, as evidenced by territorial incursions on our eastern flank, trade blackmail, and claims to Greenland, which is not for sale.”