The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, has not ruled out that Spain may take part in the European military mission in Greenland in response to the intention of the U.S. president, Donald Trump, to seize that island, although she has called to “not get ahead of events.”
“Strengthening surveillance in Greenland would indeed be an option, for example, but we will see over the course of today. I think we should not rush events,” Robles said in statements to the media upon her arrival at Congress, where she is appearing before the Official Secrets Committee from 8:30 a.m.
These remarks by the Minister of Defense come after France, Germany, Sweden and Norway announced the deployment of troops to the Danish autonomous territory to jointly study possible ways of cooperating with the aim of increasing security in the region.
“We are permanently in agreement with the other allies. We will see over the course of today what is on the table in those meetings today,” said Robles, who specified that, in any case, the European mission would be one of “surveillance.”
Caution
The minister has been cautious and has insisted that we must wait to see how events unfold throughout the day, during which “there are meetings taking place.” “Let’s see how everything progresses and, based on that, decisions will be made,” she said.
When asked whether she believes that the forcible seizure of Greenland by the United States could mean the end of the Atlantic Alliance, she replied that it would not, although she considered it “unacceptable” if it were carried out.
“It would be extremely serious if that were to happen, but we are going to be cautious when it comes to making decisions and, above all, it is important to respect the frameworks that are in place, frameworks of great prudence, of great discretion, in order to see what solutions are adopted.”
Robles proposes a legal, not military, reaction from the EU
The Minister of Defense has assured that if the U.S. decided to seize Greenland, the response of the European Union should not be approached from a military point of view, but from the legal aspect of respect for sovereignty and international order.
When asked by the media whether Spain is going to send troops to Greenland after the threat by the U.S. president, Donald Trump, to seize that territory, the minister recalled that no European country has sent troops as such, but rather reconnaissance units.
Robles has called for “caution” and to wait. “Depending on what is done and what is decided, we will see, but let it be clear that (what has been sent now) are not military troops, it is not a military mission, but reconnaissance missions on the ground.”
And, according to her, at no time has a military mission been proposed either in the European Union or in the Atlantic Alliance. She added that, in any case, “Spain never carries out a mission alone; it always works together with its allies and with other countries.”
She has insisted that Spain’s position is one of waiting and prudence, as well as “always keeping an eye together with our allies” on what can be done.
In any case, in the event that Trump were to carry out his threat, “obviously a legal issue regarding sovereignty would arise,” although “what we all want is that it does not come to that situation.” (January 15)