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Trump’s Greenland statements could ignite conflict inside NATO — expert

This would be the first major instance of a land grab between two NATO countries, Christopher Helali noted

NEW YORK, January 21. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump's comments about Greenland becoming a part of America could create tensions inside NATO, Christopher Helali, human rights activist and American Communist Party member, told TASS.

"The relationship with the European countries in the context of NATO will be more challenging," he said. "I think the Trump’s administration wants them to pay more towards NATO and he will exert tremendous pressure on European countries to pick up more of the burden of NATO’s overall operating cost and to try to lessen that burden on the United States."

"I also think that that has to be understood in the context of what Trump has said about Greenland," Helali continued. "Of course, this would be the first major instance of a land grab between two NATO countries."

"We know about the situation in Cyprus and Greece and Turkey, who are both NATO members," the expert pointed out. "Although at the time it was not necessarily the case given the military dictatorship in Greece. But now, of course, we have the United States advocating for annexing Greenland."

"Greenland is now under the sovereignty of Denmark, which is another NATO country. I think this will be a major, major hurdle for the European countries and for NATO as an alliance. I also think the ongoing situation and dialogue about Canada, Mexico, the Panama Canal - all of these will have an enormous impact. Not only on the relations between the United States and Europe, but also more broadly on the United States’ relationship with the international community at large."

On January 7, Trump, pre-inauguration, suggested that Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, should become part of the United States, citing national security concerns and protection from Chinese and Russian threats.

During his first term in 2019, Trump said that the United States was looking to buy Greenland. Both now and back then, the island and the kingdom dismissed the idea as absurd. Additionally, the future US president has actively proposed turning Canada into the United States' 51st state.

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