German Chancellor Criticizes Trump’s Comments on Potential US Military Interventions
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has criticized the designated US President Donald Trump for his comments on the potential use of US military force to gain control over Panama and Greenland. In a statement following a meeting with several state and government leaders in Berlin, Scholz emphasized the importance of the principle of territorial integrity in international law.
“The inviolability of borders is a fundamental principle of international law” Scholz said, adding that this principle was agreed upon by European states and the former Eastern Bloc countries, as well as the United States and the Soviet Union, in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.
The Chancellor also stressed that borders should not be changed by force, and that the principle of territorial integrity applies to all countries, regardless of their location. “Every state must respect this principle, regardless of whether it is a small or a powerful country” he said.
Scholz’s comments come in response to Trump’s recent statements, in which he did not rule out the possibility of using military force to gain control over the Panama Canal and Greenland. The Chancellor also expressed his concerns about the potential for military intervention in Ukraine, saying that the country’s sovereignty and integrity must be protected.
Scholz emphasized the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a key instrument for the defense of its member states and as a central pillar of the transatlantic relationship. He also noted that the security situation in Europe is currently very tense, and that NATO members must work together to determine the necessary military capabilities in a precise and detailed manner.
In contrast, Trump has suggested that the United States may need to take military or economic action to gain control over the Panama Canal and Greenland, which he believes is necessary for the protection of the “free world” from Chinese and Russian ships.