Ian Bremmer, the president of the political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, on Monday said that US President Donald Trump’s attempts to control Greenland could have serious consequences for NATO and Western
alliances.
Bremmer made the remarks in an interview with CNBC-TV18’s Managing Editor Shereen Bhan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
“If Trump persists in attempting to control Greenland, it will be the end of NATO,” Bremmer told Bhan. He added, “US President might have a big fight on his hands if he doesn’t back down.”
Speaking further, Bremmer said, “The US is demanding territorial control of Greenland, which means that the Russians don’t want to sit and talk.”
Bremmer also warned that an escalation of the Greenland crisis could fracture trust among Western allies and create strategic openings for China. “If this crisis explodes and undermines transatlantic relationships, China will clearly be a beneficiary,” he noted.
Trump’s Repeated Threat On Greenland
The US President has repeatedly threatened to take over Greenland “one way or the other,” prompting European nations to push back.
Additionally, German and French leaders denounced the weekend threats as “blackmail” and said Europe is preparing trade countermeasures.
The European Union has announced an emergency summit on Thursday to consider its response, emphasising that it aims to “engage, not escalate,” but is ready to act if necessary.
Greenland, whose population of 57,000 has expressed concern over Trump’s threats, reiterated that such pressure does not change its desire to assert sovereignty.
Trump has insisted that the mineral-rich island is vital for US “national security,” despite existing bases and security agreements with Denmark, a fellow NATO ally.
(With inputs from agencies)
