German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius considers US President Donald Trump still unpredictable despite a recent Greenland deal. He advises Europe not to succumb to fear but to focus on building its own strength. The US is as dependent on Europe as Europe is on the US.
In an interview, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius addressed Donald Trump's unpredictability following the Greenland deal proposed by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos to halt Trump's annexation plans for the Danish island. "We don't know. The unpredictability is becoming more unpredictable," Pistorius said. A month ago, no one would have considered military force.
Pistorius stressed that Europe must not stare at the White House like a rabbit at a snake but become more sovereign and independent. On the deal itself, he noted there is nothing new to agree on: The 1951 US-Denmark agreement on Greenland still applies. The US once had up to 10,000 troops there, now about 200, which can be ramped up anytime. NATO contributes to Arctic security and has intensified its engagement due to the Russian threat, including a maritime partnership with Denmark, Norway, Canada, and Iceland 1.5 years ago.
An annexation of a NATO partner's territory like Greenland would render the alliance obsolete, Pistorius warned. Trump relies on uncertainty, but Europe is gradually taking over conventional defense. The US nuclear umbrella remains unquestioned. Mutual dependence is key: "The Americans need Europe as much as Europeans need the Americans." Europe holds geostrategic and geo-economic importance for Washington; a US withdrawal would position them between Russia and China.
On NATO trust, Pistorius likened the alliance to a 20-year marriage in crisis: A common basis exists, with no signs of a US exit. Only Vladimir Putin benefits from the debate. The US base in Ramstein underscores American interest in the partnership, serving as a central hub outside the US.
