Poland warns Greenland dispute sets dangerous NATO precedent

Poland has voiced serious concerns that the escalating dispute over Greenland's status could undermine the foundational principles of the NATO alliance. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski warned that the situation sets a "dangerous precedent" for European security, drawing on Poland's historical experience with foreign territorial aggression.

A Warning Against Coercion Among Allies

In an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera, Sikorski expressed fear over the implications of U.S. President Donald Trump's push to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. He invoked comments by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who stated that any seizure of Greenland would mean the end of NATO as a credible alliance. "A world where larger countries can seize territory from their neighbors with impunity is a world where people freeze in their homes in winter and can be bombed at any moment," Sikorski stated, cautioning against normalizing such coercion.

Balancing Alliances and Principles

Sikorski emphasized that Greenland's future must be decided democratically by its people under Danish law, a stance backed by a Polish declaration of solidarity with Copenhagen. He framed the issue as a test of alliance coherence, noting the need to balance relations with the United States and closer partnership with Denmark, a key actor in Baltic Sea security. "We want to be good allies of the United States, but Denmark is our geographically closer partner... common sense must prevail," he said. Sikorski clarified that Poland has no plans for a troop deployment to Greenland, as such a move would require domestic political consensus currently lacking.

A Broader Call for European Strategic Responsibility

The minister distinguished the Greenland case from other U.S. interventions, noting the territory is a democracy linked to NATO and must be treated as such. Beyond the immediate dispute, Sikorski reiterated Poland's longstanding call for enhanced European defense capabilities. While skeptical of a single European army, he suggested the creation of multinational EU volunteer units for specific missions. The Greenland issue, he indicated, highlights the broader European dilemma of relying on U.S. security guarantees while defending territorial integrity and the fundamental norm that borders cannot be changed by force.