Greenland opposition leader warns Denmark risks NATO collapse over Arctic control

Monday 12 January 2026 - 09:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Greenland opposition leader warns Denmark risks NATO collapse over Arctic control

Pele Broberg, head of Greenland's opposition Naleraq party, has sharply criticized Denmark for clinging to control over the Arctic territory, accusing it of pushing NATO toward collapse amid growing U.S. pressure to acquire the island. In an interview on Danish TV2 on January 11, Broberg stated that Denmark's desperation to retain Greenland—despite the island's clear desire for separation—threatens the alliance's stability. He argued that future negotiations should primarily involve the United States and Greenland, with Denmark relegated to a supporting role.

These remarks resonate with warnings from U.S. senators. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, cautioned that any U.S. military move on Greenland would trigger NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause, pitting Washington against allies like the United Kingdom and France, effectively ending the alliance. Virginia Senator Mark Warner echoed this on Fox News Sunday, saying a Trump-led action against Greenland would dismantle NATO entirely. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has also warned that a U.S. attack on a NATO member would spell the end of everything.

Polls underscore Greenlanders' resistance to U.S. annexation. A Verian survey of the island's roughly 57,000 residents found 85% opposed to joining the United States, with only 6% in favor, citing Denmark's superior living standards, including universal healthcare and free education. Yet aspirations for self-determination run deep. Leaders of all five parties in Greenland's parliament issued a joint statement rejecting foreign interference: "We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders." The parliament plans an early session ahead of its original February 3 start to address U.S. threats.

Greenland's Foreign Minister Viviane Motzfeldt urged proactive engagement, questioning why the territory could not directly organize talks with Washington. She spoke on Danish broadcaster DR ahead of a planned meeting in Washington on Wednesday between senior Danish and Greenlandic diplomats and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Broberg dismissed suggestions that Greenland temper its independence push perhaps via a direct U.S. defense pact as absurd, reiterating the island's firm stance on full autonomy.