Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė on Tuesday said Europe and the United States need to ensure they share the same understanding of security issues amid US comments about Greenland.
“The first step, as I see it, is a serious conversation with the United States and the American president. Right now, we are living in uncertainty,” Ruginienė told reporters.
She added that the discussion should clarify whether all parties are aligned in their perception of security and whether they are prepared to act in unison.
“Close ties with our partners have helped us ensure security on our territory,” she said, reiterating Lithuania’s support for democratic processes.
Ruginienė said she plans to visit Germany at the end of January, where discussions will include the situation in Greenland.
“I see the European Union’s unity on this issue, but we also need to recognise that strategic partners, such as the United States, are very important to us. Shared agreement on security is our strength,” she said.
The remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s weekend statements that the United States would take Greenland one way or another, warning that Russia and China could gain control if Washington does not act. Trump has made similar comments in the past.
Last week, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, together with Denmark, issued a joint statement expressing support for Copenhagen and Greenland in opposition to Trump’s proposals.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously said that any US attack on a NATO ally would mark the end of 80 years of transatlantic security ties.
The majority of Greenland’s residents and political parties have said they do not want US control and emphasised that Greenlanders themselves should decide their future.
Foreign minister expects more clarity after US-Denmark talks
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said on Tuesday that the situation surrounding Greenland should be clearer after talks this week between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"Our expectation is clear: that everything will proceed in the spirit of the Washington Treaty, to which the United States is also a party – that allies resolve uncertainties among themselves peacefully and without posing a threat to international peace, security and justice," Budrys told reporters.
He added that Lithuania expected the issue to be handled within the framework of international law.
Budrys also said Lithuania was ready to contribute to security efforts in the Arctic, noting its active role in the Nordic-Baltic group.
“If security in the North is a concern for the Nordic countries and for NATO as a whole, we are ready to take part,” he said.
Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers are expected to meet Rubio later this week.
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