“The respect of the internationally recognised borders is a universal principle,” the European Council president said on Tuesday.
If Europe makes any concession on the question of territorial territory, it will risk opening a Pandora’s box with worldwide repercussions, António Costa has warned amid rising tensions with the United States over the future of Greenland.
“We should respect, first, the territorial integrity of Denmark and we must respect the self-determination right of the people of Greenland,” the president of the European Council said on Tuesday.
“This is of utmost importance, not only for Europe but for all over the world,” he added. “If we give up on territorial integrity, we open up a Pandora’s box in the world, from Asia to (the) Americas.”
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is back in the spotlight after Usha Vance, the wife of US Vice President JD Vance, announced her intention to visit the island and make a series of cultural stops, such as attending the national dog-sled race. The second lady is set to arrive on Thursday.
The US delegation will also include Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, and Chris Wright, the energy secretary, travelling separately.
The visit has brought back fears that the US, under the leadership of Donald Trump, will seek to annex Greenland. Trump has refused to rule out using economic coercion and military force to seize the sprawling territory, considered highly strategic over its location in the Arctic Sea and its rich deposits of mineral resources.
Trump’s threat has put the EU on edge and strained the transatlantic alliance, which is already being tested over another territorial dispute: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The respect of the internationally recognised borders is a universal principle,” Costa said in his intervention at an event organised by the European Policy Centre (EPC).
“We should respect the sovereignty and self-determination of the different peoples and this is essential to live in the rules-based order,” he went on.
“The alternative of the rules-based order is chaos and chaos is very dangerous for humanity, for business (and) for the future. We need to preserve a rules-based order and then, everything can work.”
Costa’s warning comes on the heels of critical remarks made by the prime minister of Greenland, Múte Egede, and the prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, both of whom went on their record to depict Usha Vance’s visit as unwelcome and inappropriate.
Calling the trip “highly aggressive” and “in no way” harmless, Egede took particular exception to the presence on the trip of Mike Waltz, the national security advisor.
“What is the security advisor doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to show a demonstration of power to us, and the signal is not to be misunderstood,” Egede said.
Frederiksen referred to Egede’s comments in an interview on Tuesday, saying that it was “clear that when you make a visit in this way, and the Greenlandic politicians clearly say that they do not want the visit, you cannot interpret it as respectful.”
“I have to say that it is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark in this situation. And it is pressure that we will resist,” Frederiksen told Danish media.
“You cannot make a private visit with official representatives from another country.”
Trump says the visit is about “friendliness, not provocation” but continues to frame his interest in the island through the lenses of national and international security, reinforcing the impression that a military invasion is not entirely off the table.
“I think Greenland’s going to be something that maybe is in our future. I think it’s important (for) international security, Trump said on Monday.
“ It cannot go on the way it is. It’s not going to go on the way it is.”
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