Image Credentials: Image Title: THE END OF NATO? EU Defense Chief Backs Denmark’s Warning Over Trump’s Greenland Ambitions Source: (sora.openai) Date: January 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle News Desk Staff with Agencies
STOCKHOLM — Monday, January 12, 2026 — The European Union’s most senior defense official has issued a stark ultimatum to Washington: a U.S. military takeover of Greenland would result in the immediate collapse of the NATO alliance.
European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, speaking at a security conference in Sweden, became the first top EU official to publicly endorse Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s assessment that the “Greenland Question” represents a terminal threat to the post-WWII security order.
“I agree with the Danish prime minister that it will be the end of NATO,” Kubilius told Reuters on Monday. He warned that beyond the legal dissolution of the treaty, an American attack on an ally would have a “very, very negative” impact on the collective trust between the people of Europe and the United States.
The comments follow a bombshell interview given by Prime Minister Frederiksen on January 5, in which she stated, “If the U.S. chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops.”
❗️Europe needs to create its own army of 100,000 servicemen to be ready to replace the existing U.S. contingent in case Washington decides to withdraw its troops, — EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius pic.twitter.com/ULdzwLAlni
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) January 12, 2026
The tension stems from President Donald Trump’s insistence that the United States must “own” Greenland to prevent a strategic vacuum that could be filled by Russia and China. In a recent two-hour interview with The New York Times, Trump was asked directly if acquiring the island mattered more to him than preserving the 32-member military alliance.
While the President did not answer directly, he acknowledged for the first time that his administration “may have to choose” between the two—a statement that has sent shockwaves through European capitals.
The aggressive stance from the EU and Denmark stands in sharp contrast to the messaging from NATO headquarters. Earlier today, Secretary-General Mark Rutte insisted the alliance is “not at all” in crisis, attempting to project stability even as his members exchange threats of withdrawal and invasion.
While EU diplomats privately concede that a full-scale military invasion remains unlikely, they agree that Trump’s “shock and awe” diplomacy is already yielding results.
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Militarization: Many believe the pressure will force a “beefed-up” European military presence in the Arctic.
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Increased Spending: Allies are already scrambling to meet the President’s 5% GDP defense spending demand to prove their utility to Washington.
The Greenland Standoff: Key Perspectives
| Entity | Key Figure | Official Stance |
| European Union | Andrius Kubilius | Military action equals the end of NATO. |
| Denmark | Mette Frederiksen | An attack on Greenland stops all security cooperation. |
| United States | Donald Trump | U.S. ownership is “psychologically needed” for security. |
| NATO | Mark Rutte | Projecting calm, alliance is “working in the right direction.” |
As the rhetoric escalates, the Arctic has become the theater for a struggle that transcends territory. At stake is the survival of the world’s most powerful military alliance. While Rutte attempts to hold the center, the alignment between Copenhagen and Brussels suggests that Europe is preparing for a world where the Atlantic is no longer a bridge, but a divide.