After the connection threat

Blinken: “Greenland debate is a waste of time”

(Bild: AFP)

During a visit to Paris, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken played down Donald Trump's threats of annexation with regard to Greenland. "It's not a good idea. But more importantly, it's not going to happen," he said on Wednesday (see video above). "That's why we shouldn't waste time talking about it any more."

"We are stronger, we are more effective and we get better results when we work closely with our allies and don't say or do anything that might alienate them from us. The idea (floated by Trump, ed.) that was expressed about Greenland is obviously not a good one. But perhaps more importantly, it is also obviously an idea that will not be put into practice. So we probably shouldn't waste time talking about it anymore," said the outgoing US Secretary of State in Paris.

Trump had hinted at a press conference on Tuesday that he wanted to incorporate the Panama Canal and Greenland into the USA. When asked by a journalist whether he could rule out military force in his foreign policy plans, the US President-elect said: "I'm not going to commit to it, no. Something might have to be done."

During his visit to Paris, Antony Blinken (pictured) played down Donald Trump's threats of annexation with regard to Greenland.

(Bild: AFP)

Scholz sharply rejects Trump's desires
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sharply rejected Trump's desire for Greenland on Wednesday. "The principle of inviolability of borders applies to every country - regardless of whether it is to the east of us or to the west," he said in Berlin, clearly alluding to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

"Every state must abide by this - regardless of whether it is a small country or a very powerful state," said Scholz, who reported that he had discussed the issue with European colleagues. The German Chancellor went on to say that "a certain lack of understanding had become clear with regard to current statements from the USA".

Greenland, which covers 2.175 million square kilometers, was a Danish colony until 1953 and has been a self-governing territory of the Kingdom since 1979. However, Denmark continues to exercise control over foreign and security policy.

Important for the US early warning system
With its Pituffik airbase, Greenland is of immense strategic importance to the US military and its early warning system for ballistic missiles. The reason? The shortest route from Europe to North America runs across the island. Greenland's capital Nuuk is closer to New York than to Copenhagen.