France Cautions Donald Trump Against Threatening EU Sovereignty

France has issued a stern warning to Donald Trump, cautioning against any threats to the sovereign integrity of the European Union. This came after the US president-elect made remarks suggesting he would not dismiss military intervention to assert control over Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, an EU member state.

Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Foreign Minister, expressed his concerns on France Inter radio, emphasizing that the EU would not tolerate encroachments on its sovereignty by any nation.

“There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be, attack its sovereign borders,” Barrot stated. He further noted the increasing dominance of power politics, remarking, “we have entered an era that is seeing the return of the law of the strongest.”

During a press conference, Trump did not discount the possibility of using military force to secure not only Greenland but also the Panama Canal, and hinted at employing “economic force” to integrate Canada into the US.

Following these statements, Donald Trump Jr., his eldest son, made a brief visit to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, described as a private trip without intentions to engage with local government officials.

The outgoing president’s focus on Greenland escalated last month when he declared US dominance over the island as crucial for America’s “economic security.” Despite Greenland’s clear stance communicated to Trump that the territory is not for sale, the matter remains contentious.

Both Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, and Múte Egede, Greenland’s Premier, have insisted that the future of Greenland should be determined by its inhabitants. “There is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,” Frederiksen affirmed.

Greenland, the largest island globally, hosts approximately 57,000 residents and has been empowered since 2009 to conduct a referendum on its independence. Egede, who is affiliated with the pro-independence Community of the People (IA) party, reiterated last week, “Greenland is not for sale and will never be for sale.”

Additionally, Barrot called on the EU to confront potential threats from Elon Musk directed at various European leaders, including Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He stressed the need for the European Commission to protect its members or empower individual states like France to defend themselves against such external pressures.