Brussels emphasizes that Greenland falls under the collective defense of the EU

The European Union emphasized this Wednesday that Greenland’s sovereignty is a problem “diplomatic value and key principle” with whom he works, and emphasizes that it must be respected in all cases thereafter the statements of the newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trumpabout forcibly controlling the Arctic island, which is dependent on Denmark, or about applying strong tariffs if Copenhagen does not open up to the sale of Greenland.

“A state’s sovereignty must be respected and it is a diplomatic value and a key principle that we work with in all cases,” the EU Foreign Affairs spokesperson said at a news conference in Brussels. Anitta Hipperwho has avoided going into the details of Trump’s comments on the use of military force to control Greenland.

“We hope to have a strong transatlantic agenda with the next US administration on matters of mutual interest,” he stressed, avoiding a personal meeting with the next US president.

Trump said on Tuesday that at this point he cannot rule out that he will have to resort to military or economic pressure measures to gain control of the Panama Canal or the island of Greenland, the latter territory in which the tycoon has expressed interest in the point to your purchase to consider.

Greenland would fall under EU defense

Similarly, the EU has avoided detailing what kind of response it would make to Washington’s trade coercion if Denmark does not agree to negotiate the sale of the autonomous territory, making the imposition of tariffs against Copenhagen currently a ‘hypothetical’ scenario . “We’re going to lower the issue here. We’re talking about something hypothetical on the part of an administration that has not yet taken office,” the Commerce spokesman said. Olof Gill.

With regard to the question of whether Greenland would be covered by the European treaties in which the mutual defense of the EU Member States In light of a foreign attack, the European Commission’s chief spokesperson, Paula Pinho, has clarified that Article 42.7 “would legally apply to Greenland.”

‘Greenland is not for sale’

Currently, only 55,000 people live in Greenland and their interests are directly represented by two deputies in the Danish central parliament, as is the case in the Faroe Islands. However, the majority of Greenland’s population believes that it wants to continue severing ties with Copenhagen.

Since 2009, Greenland has had the right to declare its independence through a referendum, a push that has been renewed in recent weeks by the local Prime Minister, Mute Egede.

“Greenland is not for sale,” both Egede and the head of Denmark’s central government agree. Mette Frederiksenwho have spoken out since December about the sovereignty aspirations that Trump has revived in recent weeks, who already explored this possibility during his first presidential term and have now raised the stakes.

Panama Canal sovereignty ‘non-negotiable’

Trump also did not rule out on Tuesday that he would resort to military or economic pressure measures to gain control of the Panama Canal. In view of these statements, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Javier Martinez Sachahas declared that the canal’s sovereignty is “non-negotiable” and an “irreversible conquest.”

“The only hands that control the canal are Panamanians and it will remain that way. We are a country open to dialogue, today and always, to investment and good relations, but with the clear motto that country comes first,” he said. the minister stated.

Likewise, he has denied that the Panamanian government has had “any form of informal or formal contact” with Trump “or with representatives of the next administration.” In this sense, he clarified that when the tycoon takes office (on January 20), the bilateral relationship “will be managed through the usual and corresponding formal channels”.

Canada will “never” be a dependent state of the US.

For his part, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeauhas declared that Canada will “never, ever” be part of the United States, in response to statements from Trump, who stated that he would use “the economic power” of the United States to take over Canada.