NATO Chief Confirms Greenland Sovereignty Was Not on Davos Agenda with Trump
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has explicitly stated that the question of whether Greenland would remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark did not arise during his discussions with former US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. This clarification comes even as Trump moderated earlier threats of tariffs and military action concerning the Arctic island.
Sovereignty Issue 'Did Not Come Up' in Conversations
When asked whether Greenland would continue to remain "under the Kingdom of Denmark" within a framework deal that Trump publicly referenced during the Davos meetings, Rutte responded, "That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president." According to Reuters, he emphasized that Trump's focus during their discussions was firmly on Arctic security, amid heightened geopolitical competition in the region.
Rutte elaborated, "He (Trump) is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region – where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active – how we can protect it."
Framework Reportedly Respects Danish Sovereignty
Despite the absence of any explicit discussion on sovereignty, a report by Axios indicated that the Greenland framework discussed between Trump and Rutte includes the principle of respecting Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland. This information was cited from two people briefed on the proposal.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart stated that Denmark, Greenland, and the United States would continue negotiations to ensure that "Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland." She did not provide details of the framework but described Trump's meeting with Rutte as "very productive," adding that discussions would "focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic allies."
No Sovereignty Compromise Proposed by NATO
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart further clarified on Thursday that Secretary-General Mark Rutte did not propose any compromise on sovereignty during his talks on Greenland with President Donald Trump. "The Secretary General did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with the President in Davos," Hart said, without providing additional information.
Trump Drops Tariff Threat, Announces Arctic Framework
On Wednesday, Trump announced he was calling off additional tariff threats previously issued on European nations in pursuit of American ownership of Greenland. Instead, he claimed to have reached a framework understanding with Rutte. Writing on Truth Social, Trump stated:
"We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations."
However, Trump did not outline the contents of the framework and notably stopped short of stating that the United States would own Greenland, even when asked directly by reporters in Davos.
Military Bases Considered as Possible Compromise
Trump's announcement followed a NATO meeting where senior military officials discussed a possible compromise under which Denmark would grant the United States sovereignty over limited pockets of Greenlandic land to build military bases. According to three senior officials familiar with the discussion, this proposal was compared to the United Kingdom's sovereign base areas in Cyprus, which are regarded as British territory, as reported by the New York Times. The officials noted they did not know whether this idea formed part of the framework Trump referenced publicly.
NATO later confirmed that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States would continue, aimed at preventing Russian or Chinese influence on the island.
Trump's Davos Speech Highlights Pressure on Allies
The framework news emerged hours after Donald Trump told European leaders at Davos that he would not accept anything less than US ownership of Greenland, while rescinding a threat to use military force. Addressing heads of state, billionaires, and senior policymakers, he argued that the United States needed Greenland for national security reasons and was the only power capable of defending it.
Calling for "immediate negotiations" to transfer ownership of the semiautonomous island, Trump criticized Europe's dependence on Washington and warned of economic consequences if his demands were not met. "We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable," Trump said. "But I won’t do that… I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland."
He later reminded European leaders that he had already imposed tariffs on imports from countries across the continent and could do so again, including against Denmark.
European Reaction: Cautious Relief
Some European leaders focused on what they saw as the most reassuring aspect of Trump's remarks—his pledge not to deploy troops. Rasmus Jarlov, chair of Denmark's parliamentary defence committee, commented in an interview:
"I’m glad he’s ruling out military force… He insists he wants Greenland, but that’s not new. Of course, we still insist that we are not handing over Greenland."
Trump, however, rejected arrangements short of ownership, leaving little room for compromise. "You need the ownership to defend it," he said, adding, "Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?"
