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NATO on the brink of collapse after Trump's diplomatic attack on Greenland
America's thirst for Greenland is igniting a bitter clash within NATO. US President Donald Trump, angered by European allies' resistance to his efforts to annex the autonomous Danish territory, said today he would impose 10% tariffs on imports from eight European countries after they sent military troops to Greenland just two days earlier.
In a lengthy post on social media, Trump accused the allies of creating “a very dangerous situation for the security and survival of the planet.” He added that the tariff would increase to 25% in June and remain in effect “until an agreement is reached for the full and final purchase of Greenland.”
Talks between US and Danish officials last week ended inconclusively. Meanwhile, thousands of citizens in Greenland and Denmark took to the streets with a clear message: “ The territory is not for sale .” The response from European leaders was immediate and harsh. Emmanuel Macron declared that “no threats or blackmail will affect us, neither in Ukraine nor in Greenland.” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said: “ We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed .” British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the threat of tariffs “ completely wrong .” The EU, on the other hand, warned that it would respond in a coordinated and determined manner.
The consequences for NATO are huge and worrying. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on January 5 that “ if the United States decides to militarily attack another NATO country, everything stops. That includes NATO itself and post-World War II security .” Historically, disputes between NATO member states have not been uncommon, including the cod wars between Britain and Iceland, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and clashes between the Greek and Turkish navies, but these have not undermined the alliance’s foundations. In contrast, the US’s open claim to annex territory from an ally calls into question the very foundations of NATO, where the US holds not only the greatest military weight but also strategic leadership.
An American general has served since NATO’s inception as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and defense plans for the continent, including Greenland, have been written assuming deep U.S. commitment. Breaking that trust could lead to an existential crisis for the alliance. If the U.S. annexes Greenland, with or without a deal, European countries’ faith in NATO’s Article 5, which guarantees mutual defense, would be shattered. Trump himself has often questioned that article, and many European leaders quietly ask: if he is willing to tear apart one ally, how can he be trusted to protect another from Russia?
Even if there are no clashes in the streets of Nuuk, the US annexation of Greenland would be a profound shock to the international order, a moment of irreversible disappointment for the transatlantic partnership. Julie Smith, President Biden’s former envoy to NATO, summed up the dilemma clearly: “ How can NATO continue to work against Russia when its most powerful member is violating the sovereignty of another ally ?”
European governments will face a difficult choice: tolerate this action to preserve the alliance, or respond forcefully to defend the principles on which NATO is built. Some may argue that Greenland is “too small” to jeopardize transatlantic ties. Others will fear that such tolerance will encourage aggressors like Russia to test European defenses.
One option is economic escalation. So far, the EU has avoided trade clashes with the US because of military dependence, but Trump’s threat could change that dynamic. The EU-US trade deal, reached just a year ago, risks failing. The European Parliament has signaled the possibility of sanctions against US technology companies. But a trade war would require an immediate increase in defence spending, a heavy burden on member states’ budgets.
Another issue will be the future of US bases and forces in Europe. Some countries will want them to stay, as a security guarantee. Others may see their departure as a means of diplomatic pressure. The reality is that the US cannot exert military influence in Africa or the Middle East without access to bases in Germany, Britain or Denmark. The latest US action in Venezuela on January 7, which involved the seizure of an oil tanker, was carried out with the help of European infrastructure. Even Arctic monitoring, the official reason for the US interest in Greenland, depends on cooperation with countries such as Iceland, Norway and Britain.
If a sudden disruption occurs, Britain could face a profound crisis in its intelligence, nuclear defense, and submarine capabilities. Many European air forces would not be able to fully utilize the F-35 without American technology and support. This could lead to an immediate contraction of Europe's military capabilities.
NATO is a complex alliance and cannot be dissolved with a single declaration. However, its foundations, built on mutual trust, could rot from within. As Julie Smith says: “ We don’t expect any grand announcement that NATO is closing. It can continue to function, but without that fundamental trust that has kept it alive for 75 years .” And if the US betrays that trust, the most powerful alliance in history could continue to exist – but only on paper. / Adapted from “Pamphlet” by “ The Economist ”
Tunxh bir eshte flori e shkuar floririt, nuk eshte akull. Kush qe ai harbut qe i vuri emrin nje "cope akulli" nje toke qe eshte sa 50 shtetet e USA. Po nuk punove bahcen tende vijne te tjere e ta punojne tenden. Vereni me kujdes keta birbo presidente, kryeministra, ministra, oligarke e laro te tjere se cfare historie morale e familjare kane. Shumica e njerezimit ne kete bote me halle, lindin, rriten, shkollohen, punesohen, zgjedhin shokun e jetes, krijojne familje e vazhdojne me hallet e jetes duke e shijuar si te munden pa i shkelur te tjereve ne kallo. Natyrisht qe palacot i kane zili njerezit e thjeshte se e ndjejne qe jane si ajo mbeturina ne kazanet e plehrave qe me te ushqehen qente e rrugeve. Lartesohen e mburren neper podiume e u gafurren turmes poshte duke kujtuar se i sundojne por, harrojne qe turma e popullit te thjeshte poshte u sheh picken e gruas qe nuk ka veshur breke e qeshin me te, kur Trapi kujton se miratojne brockullat qe thote.