German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss tensions over Greenland. The focus was on US President Donald Trump's threat to annex the island. Wadephul emphasized the need for NATO cooperation and saw no signs of a serious military intervention.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) traveled urgently to Washington to discuss ongoing tensions over Greenland with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This came amid the US military intervention in Venezuela, where Rubio played a key role, and new threats from President Donald Trump to take the Danish territory "the hard way" if necessary. Trump told the New York Times that his "own moral" guides US foreign policy, not international law or traditional interests.
After the meeting at the Capitol, Wadephul described the talks as a "very friendly, very intensive conversation". Both sides agreed they need each other as partners in the North Atlantic. On Greenland, Wadephul stated: "I have no indication that this is being seriously considered". He stressed that only Greenland and Denmark can decide the island's future. Rubio downplayed the threat, noting Trump wants to buy the island, as President Harry Truman once planned, with diplomacy taking precedence.
Wadephul brought elements of a NATO plan for the Arctic, including the "Arctic Sentry" mission, to counter growing Russian and Chinese presence in the region. This aims to undermine Trump's rationale for annexation. Other topics included situations in Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela. Rubio praised Trump as a "president of actions" and cautioned against US unilateral moves.
Aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed NATO initiatives: "We're talking about acquisition, not a lease". Wadephul then went to New York to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres about the US withdrawal from 66 international organizations. Though Rubio is seen as a hardliner, it remains doubtful whether Berlin can influence Trump's course. Greenland spans over two million square kilometers and is strategically vital due to its resources and location.
