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Morning opening: ‘If it affects Nato, it affects Nato’
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump has repeated overnight that the US would take Greenland “one way or the other,” as he mocked its defence as “two dog sleds,” and stressed that otherwise Russia and China would move to claim the territory.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said that he was open to making a deal on Greenland in principle, but insisted “one way or the other, we are going to have Greenland.”
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,” he said, despite no obvious interest from either of the two countries.
Trump also mocked Greenland’s defence saying it consists of “two dog sleds,” facing Russian and Chinese “destroyers and submarines all over the place.”
Asked about the potential impact on Nato, Trump shrugged it off, saying:
“If it affects Nato, it affects Nato. But you know, they need us much more than we need them.”
He also claimed that he “saved” the alliance by pushing for increased defence spending, and said he was working on ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(Our usual sympathies go to the Danish Trump night watcher, who had to watch this and report back to the country’s authorities.)
His comments came hours after the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, warned that Denmark is at a “fateful moment” amid Trump’s threats to take over Greenland, accusing the US of potentially turning its back on Nato.
“We are at a crossroads, and this is a fateful moment,” said Frederiksen.
“What is at stake is bigger than what the eye can see, because if what we experience from the Americans is that they are actually turning their backs on the western alliance, that they are turning their backs on our Nato cooperation by threatening an ally, which we have not experienced before, then everything will stop.”
I will bring you all the latest on this as we slowly build up to US state secretary Marco Rubio’s meeting with Danish and Greenlandic ministers on Wednesday. I will also look at the latest in Ukraine and across the continent.
It’s Monday, 12 January 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
China criticises Trump’s Greenland interest
Somewhat unexpectedly, China criticised the US for its interest in Greenland, urging it not to use other countries as an excuse to pursue its own interests, Reuters reported.
“The Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference.
She said China’s activities in the Arctic aim to promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.
Mao also called for respecting the rights and freedoms of all nations to conduct lawful activities in the Arctic.
What can the EU and Nato do to stop Trump from trying to claim Greenland?
Jon Henley
Europe correspondent
European leaders have strongly defended sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right of Greenland and Denmark to decide on matters concerning them, but there is as yet no clear strategy on how to deter Trump – or respond if he does make a move.
Jon Henley has looked at some of the options, ranging from diplomacy and raising Arctic security through economic sanctions, fast-tracked investment to the deployment of troops.
Morning opening: ‘If it affects Nato, it affects Nato’
Jakub Krupa
US president Donald Trump has repeated overnight that the US would take Greenland “one way or the other,” as he mocked its defence as “two dog sleds,” and stressed that otherwise Russia and China would move to claim the territory.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said that he was open to making a deal on Greenland in principle, but insisted “one way or the other, we are going to have Greenland.”
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,” he said, despite no obvious interest from either of the two countries.
Trump also mocked Greenland’s defence saying it consists of “two dog sleds,” facing Russian and Chinese “destroyers and submarines all over the place.”
Asked about the potential impact on Nato, Trump shrugged it off, saying:
“If it affects Nato, it affects Nato. But you know, they need us much more than we need them.”
He also claimed that he “saved” the alliance by pushing for increased defence spending, and said he was working on ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(Our usual sympathies go to the Danish Trump night watcher, who had to watch this and report back to the country’s authorities.)
His comments came hours after the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, warned that Denmark is at a “fateful moment” amid Trump’s threats to take over Greenland, accusing the US of potentially turning its back on Nato.
“We are at a crossroads, and this is a fateful moment,” said Frederiksen.
“What is at stake is bigger than what the eye can see, because if what we experience from the Americans is that they are actually turning their backs on the western alliance, that they are turning their backs on our Nato cooperation by threatening an ally, which we have not experienced before, then everything will stop.”
I will bring you all the latest on this as we slowly build up to US state secretary Marco Rubio’s meeting with Danish and Greenlandic ministers on Wednesday. I will also look at the latest in Ukraine and across the continent.
It’s Monday, 12 January 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
