Rabia Iclal Turan
09 April 2026•Update: 09 April 2026
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday that talks on Greenland are ongoing with the US, Denmark and Greenland, and that the alliance aligns with US President Donald Trump on Arctic security concerns.
Speaking at the Reagan Institute in Washington after his meeting Tuesday with Trump at the White House, Rutte said discussions focus on Greenland’s future status and limiting Russian and Chinese access.
“I share his view that there is a big risk that the Russians and the Chinese will become even more involved in the Arctic,” he said. “The president is right that we have to defend ourselves.”
He said NATO allies agreed during the World Economic Forum in January that the alliance must play a stronger role in the Arctic, including protecting Greenland.
Rutte pointed to the launch of “Arctic Sentry,” a NATO initiative aimed at boosting coordination among allies and strengthening defenses in the region.
His remarks come after Denmark’s Acting Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Thursday that it is “obvious” Trump has not abandoned his ambitions for Greenland.