Estonia backs Denmark on Greenland: “This is an existential issue”

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has expressed full support for Denmark in the situation surrounding Greenland and emphasised the importance of respecting the principle of territorial integrity.

“We unequivocally support Denmark. No one has the right to alter territories through military force. For Estonia, this is an existential issue, as it is for Europe more broadly,” the national public broadcaster ERR quotes the minister as saying.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that NATO and European Union countries “remain firmly committed” to protecting the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark.

On January 5, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States intends to seize the Danish-owned island of Greenland to counter Russia and China in the Arctic. The governments of Greenland and Denmark opposed the U.S. acquisition, and European NATO countries launched a joint intelligence mission in Greenland.

In response, Trump announced that starting February 1, tariffs of 10% would be imposed on Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, and Sweden—countries participating in the NATO mission in Greenland. According to Trump’s plan, the tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 and remain in effect until an agreement on the U.S. purchase of the island is reached.

By Vugar Khalilov