US President’s Son Lands in Greenland Amid Father’s Annexation Bid
Donald Trump Jr., the son of the US President, landed in Greenland on January 7, just two days after his father’s announcement of his intention to annex the island. The move has sparked a heated debate, with Denmark, which has administered Greenland as an autonomous region, expressing its opposition.
Greenland’s indigenous Inuit population has long been seeking more autonomy and even independence from Denmark. The Danish government’s handling of the Inuit population has been criticized for its colonial undertones, with the Inuit language banned from the Danish parliament just a few years ago.
Trump’s offer to buy Greenland, along with the threat of imposing maximum tariffs on Danish exports to the US, has been seen as an attempt to fuel a secession movement in Greenland. The US has a history of supporting separatist movements, and its intelligence agencies have the expertise to do so.
The European Union has yet to issue a unified response to Trump’s bid, with some member states expressing verbal support for Denmark, while others remain silent. The EU’s failure to take a strong stance has been criticized, with some arguing that it has become a “vassal” of the US.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called for the EU to “strengthen itself” to respond to such challenges, but this is seen as a admission of the EU’s powerlessness, with some arguing that it will only take action in the future when it is stronger.
The situation has been likened to a “mafia-style protection racket” with the EU being forced to pay the price for its weakness. The EU’s failure to stand up for its principles has been criticized, with some arguing that it has forgotten the importance of upholding the rule of law.
In a commentary, French blogger and critic of Western China and Russia policies, Arnaud Bertrand, wrote that the EU’s failure to stand up for its principles has led to a “monumental error” and a “self-inflicted wound.” He argued that the EU’s leaders have forgotten that principles are not moral luxuries, but practical shields that can protect a country in the future.