“Greenland is a European territory under NATO protection (…), the blackmail must stop,” he stressed in statements to the newspaper Ouest France, the most widely circulated daily in France.

According to Barrot, Europeans have very powerful means to defend their interests.

Since returning to the White House a year ago, Trump has made control of the enormous Arctic island a priority, given its vast resources beneath the ice sheet.

Two days ago, Trump reiterated his rhetoric about the United States’ objective of seizing Greenland “before Russia and China do,” claiming he will achieve it by fair means or foul.

For Barrot, the option of military intervention —not ruled out by the White House chief— is unlikely, and nothing would justify it.

Meanwhile, the island’s inhabitants say they don’t want to be American, nor Danish, only Greenlandic, according to local political leaders.

jdt/jav/mem/wmr