ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni said on Friday she did not believe the United States would use force to seize Greenland and warned such a move would have serious consequences for NATO.
At a traditional New Year’s press conference, Meloni added that NATO needed a “serious and important” presence in the Arctic, including Greenland.
“I remain unconvinced by the assumption that the United States will take military action to control Greenland, and I clearly would not support that option,” Meloni said.
“I don’t believe it’s in anyone’s interest. To be clear, I don’t think it’s even in the interest of the United States of America,” she added.
A weekend U.S. military operation that captured Venezuela’s leader has reignited concerns about U.S. intentions in Greenland. The United States is considering a range of options to acquire Greenland, including the use of military force, the White House said on Tuesday.
Meloni, who is considered one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Europe, said “it’s clear to everyone” that any U.S. move in Greenland would have significant consequences for NATO, adding that was why she didn’t think Washington would act on the threat.
However, she said it was important for NATO to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, adding that she understood U.S. concerns about the need to prevent “undue interference by other actors that may even be hostile.”
(Reporting by Giedla Vagnoni and Giulia Segreti; Editing by Alvise Armellini and Crispian Balmer)