New Delhi: US President Donald Trump Wednesday ruled out the use of force in acquiring Greenland, announcing his preference to gain the Arctic island by negotiations, while cautioning Europe that America will remember if it says no to a deal.
In a 70-minute address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Trump again reiterated his demand for Greenland, the autonomous territory a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, describing the island as a “piece of ice” necessary for “world protection.”
The US President referred to Greenland as Iceland at least four times during the address.
”We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” Trump said. “I won’t do that…That’s probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.”
“Where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago, after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and others in World War II, we gave it back to them. We were a powerful force then, but we are a much more powerful force now,” he added.
Trump took aim at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — the military alliance consisting of the US, Canada and a number of European nations —claiming that America had paid 100 percent to defend the alliance, and got nothing in return.
Greenland is not defensible currently because the US only has a “lease” agreement, according to Trump. “All we want from Denmark for national and international security and to keep our very energetic and potential dangerous enemies at bay, is this piece of land where we can build the greatest golden dome, ever built.”
Trump’s focus on Greenland has brought out fault lines with his European allies. Earlier this week, he announced the imposition of 10 percent tariffs on 10 European nations, including six members of the European Union, to force the sale of Greenland. The tariffs will increase to 25 percent by June, if no deal is made.
The European Parliament Wednesday suspended work on a trade deal agreed with the US last year, over the Greenland issue, reported Reuters.
Trump claimed that the US would be very “appreciative” if it is given sovereignty over Greenland, otherwise the country would “remember.”
The American President attacked Europe, pointing to the perceived mass migration into the continent that has made many of the cities ‘unrecognisable’, while calling out the conventional wisdom in Washington and Brussels for such policies.
He also took aim at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who Tuesday described the world heading to a “rupture” due to the evolution in geopolitics under the current US administration.
“Canada gets many freebies from the US and should be grateful. His (Carney’s) speech showed he wasn’t so grateful. Canada lives because of the United States, remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said.
The US President was scheduled to address the gathering of international leaders and businesspersons for 45 minutes, but ended up speaking for almost 70 minutes, before taking a few questions.
The visit to Davos Wednesday, marks Trump’s return to the forum after more than half a decade. His address took aim at his predecessor Joseph Biden, the growing US debts, affordability, as well as remarking on Somali immigrants in America.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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