Mark Rutte Calls for Enhanced Arctic Presence Following U.S. Reversal on Greenland
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on alliance members to strengthen their security presence in the Arctic, following a framework understanding reached with US President Donald Trump, who recently stepped back from tariff threats and ruled out seizing Greenland by force.
Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Rutte said it is now up to NATO’s senior military leadership to determine the scale and details of the enhanced security measures in the region.
“I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026,” he said.
Trump’s earlier ambition to assert US control over Greenland, a NATO member territory under Danish sovereignty, had raised fears of a major rupture within the alliance and threatened to reignite a trade conflict with Europe. His sudden reversal, announced on Wednesday, calmed markets and triggered a rebound in European shares, while prompting questions about the durability of transatlantic trust.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized that Greenland’s sovereignty remains intact, stating that no NATO negotiations on the matter had occurred.
“It is still a difficult and serious situation, but progress has also been made in the sense that we have now got things where they need to be. Namely that we can discuss how we promote common security in the Arctic region,” Frederiksen said.
Following a meeting with Rutte, Trump suggested a potential deal could meet his demands for a missile defence system and access to critical minerals, while countering what he described as Russian and Chinese ambitions in the Arctic. Rutte clarified that mineral exploitation was not discussed in his talks with Trump, and that specific negotiations concerning Greenland would continue directly between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland itself.
Rutte also insisted that strengthening Arctic security would not weaken NATO’s support for Ukraine, noting that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was scheduled to meet Trump on Thursday. Asked whether NATO allies could trust the US president’s assurances, Rutte replied:
“You can always take Donald Trump at his word.”
Despite this reassurance, EU diplomats told Reuters that the Greenland episode had shaken confidence in the transatlantic partnership, prompting leaders to reassess relations with Washington. One diplomat warned that trust has been deeply damaged:
“Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no coming back to what it was. Leaders will discuss it, and the EU must reduce its dependence on the United States across key sectors.”
Reactions in Greenland’s capital Nuuk were mixed. Tour guide Ivi Luna Olsen said Trump’s earlier statements had caused fear, even as his latest remarks offered some relief:
“I’m very thrilled to hear that, first of all, because he has been saying a lot of stuff about taking Greenland with force, like he’ll do it the hard way, which is so scary to hear. But I’m also keeping my hopes down and still hoping for the best, while preparing for the worst because sometimes he can be saying a lot of stuff.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly stated that Greenland’s ownership is not Russia’s concern, while China’s foreign ministry dismissed claims of a Chinese threat as baseless.
The uncertainty surrounding US policy has also raised concerns among business leaders. Dirk Jandura, president of Germany’s wholesale and export association BGA, warned that unpredictability remains a serious risk to global trade:
“What President Trump announces today may be obsolete tomorrow. Reliability is not a minor issue in international trade, but rather a key prerequisite for investment and growth. The ongoing unpredictability is causing lasting damage to confidence in trade relations.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also speaking in Davos, welcomed Trump’s reversal and urged allies not to abandon the transatlantic alliance:
“Despite all the frustration and anger of recent months, let us not be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership,” he said.
