Poland warns of ‘dangerous’ NATO precedent as tensions rise over Greenland

Poland's foreign minister warned Monday that rising tensions around Greenland could set a dangerous precedent for NATO and European security, amid the continued push by US President Donald Trump to acquire the island.

Speaking to Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Radoslaw Sikorski said he was "afraid" of the implications of the situation, drawing parallels with past intra-NATO conflicts.

Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has taken on growing geopolitical importance due to its Arctic location, rare earth resources, and proximity to key transatlantic shipping routes. Recent statements by Trump that the US must acquire Greenland have met a strong pushback.

Sikorski cited comments by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who warned that any seizure of Greenland would effectively end NATO as a credible alliance. Invoking Poland's own history of partitions and foreign domination, Sikorski cautioned against normalizing territorial coercion.

"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," he said.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk has signed a declaration of solidarity with Copenhagen. Sikorski stressed that Greenland's status must be decided democratically by its inhabitants, in line with Danish constitutional law.

While several European countries have reportedly discussed a stronger military presence in the Arctic, Sikorski said Poland would not be sending troops to Greenland. Under Polish law, such deployments require presidential approval, and the current governing coalition lacks the consensus to pursue such a move.

Sikorski framed the issue as a test of alliance coherence. "We want to be good allies of the United States, but Denmark is our geographically closer partner and an indispensable actor in controlling the Baltic Sea," he said, adding that "common sense must prevail."

The remarks come at a time of wider uncertainty over US foreign policy under Trump, including Washington's recent intervention in Venezuela and renewed debates over territorial influence. Sikorski drew a distinction between those actions and Greenland, arguing that while the US may justify intervention against authoritarian regimes, Greenland is a democracy, a NATO-linked territory, and must be treated differently.

Beyond Greenland, Sikorski reiterated Poland's long-standing call for stronger European defense capabilities, particularly in scenarios where US forces might be unable or unwilling to intervene. While skeptical of a fully integrated European army, he suggested the creation of multinational EU volunteer units for specific missions under EU political control.

The Greenland dispute, Sikorski indicated, highlights a broader dilemma facing Europe: how to balance reliance on the US with the defense of territorial integrity, alliance norms, and the principle that borders cannot be changed by force.