U.S. President Donald Trump is once again raising tensions in Europe by expressing his fixation on Greenland following the conclusion of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
According to Yonhap News and dpa, Trump stated on Air Force One while returning from the NATO summit that he has not made a final decision regarding the potential further withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Europe, adding, "A lot depends on Greenland."
He continued, "Much depends on whether we can reach a very good agreement regarding Greenland. Perhaps that could happen."
The Trump administration has pressured European allies to reduce their reliance on the U.S. for defense and to contribute more themselves. Recently, it announced plans to decide on troop reductions in Europe after a review period of six months. Currently, the U.S. has about 80,000 troops stationed in Europe, including in Germany, Poland, Italy, Romania, and Baltic states.
Upon arriving in Ankara on July 7, Trump told reporters, "The reason (for the damage to the relationship between the U.S. and NATO) is that Greenland should be controlled by the U.S., not Denmark," reviving his earlier ambitions regarding the territory.
On the final day of the summit, July 8, he remarked to reporters, "Greenland is very important to the U.S. but not to Denmark. I am not satisfied with what NATO has done regarding the Greenland issue," indicating that his interest in Greenland remains strong.
In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized that "Greenland is not for sale," urging respect for the sovereignty of allied nations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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