US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish officials next week as discussions over possible US acquisition of Greenland intensified. The White House has declined to rule out military force, while a joint European statement backed Danish and Greenlandic decision-making over the island’s future. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300))
Speaking to reporters after a closed-door congressional briefing, Rubio said the administration’s preference is a negotiated purchase rather than coercion, but noted that presidents retain the option to address national security threats by military means. He did not say whether Washington would risk a rupture with NATO over Greenland. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300))
In a joint statement published by the Élysée, leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK and Denmark said “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.” They added that Arctic security should be addressed collectively with NATO allies, including the United States. ([elysee.fr](https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2026/01/06/joint-statement-on-greenland?utm_source=openai))
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that an attack by the United States on a NATO ally would mean the end of the alliance and the post–Second World War security order, urging de‑escalation and dialogue. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jan/06/coalition-willing-paris-ukraine-zelenskyy-greenland-denmark-venezuela-trump-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-695cf1d68f08cf9754d8e3e4&utm_source=openai))
Under the UN Charter, states must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Because Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, any armed action would engage NATO consultation and collective‑defence provisions under Articles 4 and 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. ([un.org](https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text?utm_source=openai))
Greenland is a self‑governing territory under the 2009 Self‑Government Act; Copenhagen retains responsibility for foreign affairs and defence across the Danish Realm. The Danish Prime Minister’s Office notes that the Act recognises the Greenlandic people’s right to self‑determination under international law. ([english.stm.dk](https://english.stm.dk/the-prime-ministers-office/the-unity-of-the-realm/greenland/?utm_source=openai))
The United States already maintains a strategic presence at Pituffik (formerly Thule) Space Base in north‑west Greenland under the 1951 Defence of Greenland Agreement. The installation provides missile warning and space surveillance functions supporting NATO and US missions. ([avalon.law.yale.edu](https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/den001.asp?utm_source=openai))
The current flare‑up follows the US military operation in Venezuela announced on 3 January, which has drawn scrutiny from international law experts. That action has sharpened European concerns about any suggestion of force being used against a NATO ally. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/03/is-there-any-legal-justification-for-the-us-attack-on-venezuela-trump-maduro?utm_source=openai))
Domestic US messaging has inflamed tensions. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told CNN it is the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the United States, and a post by his wife, Katie Miller, depicting Greenland in US colours with the caption “SOON” drew further criticism. ([yahoo.com](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/stephen-miller-clashes-jake-tapper-015939866.html?utm_source=openai))
For policy planners, the immediate watchpoints are the Rubio–Denmark talks, any NATO consultations sought under Article 4, and signals from Copenhagen and Nuuk on day‑to‑day cooperation at Pituffik. European capitals have set out a de‑escalation route: operate within NATO structures and the 1951 agreement, uphold UN Charter principles, and centre Greenlandic consent. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4d18970667b130d293ccaf4c0d55c300))