President Donald Trump voiced his opinion on Tuesday that the United States should control Greenland, a move that rekindled tensions with Denmark, a NATO ally. Trump labeled Greenland as crucial for the US, inaccurately claiming it is surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships, stating he would not allow threats to the territory.
During a meeting in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump reiterated, “That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” The NATO founding principle is defending members and not threatening territorial control. At the summit, European nations were keen to address Trump’s criticism that allies do not invest enough in defense.
Trump announced that US sanctions on Turkey would be lifted following its purchase of a Russian missile system. This was a contentious issue that ousted Turkey from the F-35 fighter program. Despite legal challenges, removing sanctions simplifies Turkey’s potential reintegration into the program.
The possibility of selling F-35s to Turkey remains controversial. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, advised against it, citing security risks to Israel if Turkey gains such capability. US legislators also oppose the sale as long as Turkey keeps the Russian missile defense system.
NATO’s summit aimed to showcase significant defense investments, pleasing Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the value of these investments. Sweden announced Saab’s supply of GlobalEye surveillance aircraft to replace NATO’s aging fleet.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for NATO membership, citing that Ukraine’s military experience would benefit the alliance’s defense. However, concerns linger about Russia’s potential hybrid attacks, despite NATO’s effective deterrence measures.