EU supports Denmark against Trump’s Greenland takeover bid

A European Commission spokeswoman reiterated EU support to Denmark against a US bid to takeover Greenland on Friday.

"If the territorial integrity of member state of the European Union is in question, so the European Union fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark," Anitta Hipper said at a media briefing, underlining that the EU's position is "clear."

Hipper reiterated that the EU will continue upholding principles of "national sovereignty, territorial integrity and violability of borders and the UN Charter."

"These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them," she added.

It came after US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his push for annexing Greenland as he hosted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House on Thursday.

Since beginning his second term in January, Trump has repeatedly voiced interest in acquiring Greenland, arguing that it is vital for US security and "even international security."

Greenland, the world's largest island, has been an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it is rich in minerals and strategically located in the Arctic.

The island -- spanning more than 2 million square kilometers (800,000 square miles) -- is rich in rare earth minerals crucial for high-tech industries, including nickel, cobalt and copper, in addition to its vast oil and gas potential.

Denmark and Greenland have rejected proposals to sell the territory, with the Danish government asserting its continued sovereignty over the island. A survey conducted in January showed that 85% of Greenland's population opposes joining the US.