Name: WEF 2026: The main issue is not Greenland - it's Ukraine, says NATO Chief Mark Rutte I Conflict Zone
Uploaded: 2026-01-21T17:25:30.000Z
Duration: 36 min 38 s
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As Trump pressures European allies over Greenland, we ask, can Europe defend itself?

The NATO Secretary General and presidents of Poland and Finland, among others, join me for a special edition of Conflict Zone from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Now, this question, can Europe defend itself?

Has really been thrust into the forefront as Donald Trump threatens allies over Greenland.

As we wait for Trump to deliver a statement in just a few hours, there has been so much discussion in the past few days, not only about the potential for a trade war with Europe, but

also even the collapse of the NATO alliance itself.

Secretary General, I'd like to begin with you, because with the US Still a guarantor of European security, are European NATO allies hostage to Trump's demands?

Listen, NATO since 1949 is the transatlantic alliance.

And I think we have to be very careful in considering the fact that the US And Canada are not only in NATO to prevent the historic mistake the US Made in their own view after the First World War, which was retreating for the world stage, and

then the long arm of history reaching out to the US Again in the Second World War, not wanting to repeat that mistake.

They are in NATO because NATO is crucial not only for the defense of Europe, but

only also for the defense of the United States.

For the United States to stay safe, stay safe, you need a safe Arctic, a safe Atlantic, and

And all the military and all the politicians in the US Know this, and

Yes, Europe is safe because of what Europe is doing itself within NATO, but

also because we have that strong transatlantic relationship.

But we know the history, we know the stakes.

And I'd like to ask you, you know, for perhaps a bit of reflection here, did you ever think that you would ever see one Naito member threaten the territorial integrity of another?

I mean, you have now the Prime Minister of Greenland telling his public an attack cannot be ruled out.

Listen, my role as Secretary General, when there is tension within the alliance, it has been there in the past between Greece and Turkey.

There have been other moments and there was tension then.

My predecessors always took the view that they should not comment on that in public.

Because as soon as I do, I cannot any longer help to somehow with others.

of course with other leaders to basically defuse the tension, to de escalate, et cetera.

You can be assured that I'm working on this issue behind the scenes, but

Well, sometimes behind the scenes comments do become public in various ways, as we've seen in the past few days.

You've talked about security in the Arctic.

No matter how you come out of this Greenland row, I mean, it really seems as if the dynamics have fundamentally changed within NATO.

You have Macron saying yester we are shifting to a world without rules.

Hasn't all of this fundamentally damaged the foundations of NATO?

Of course, I see that there are these tensions at the moment.

Again, I'm not going to comment on that, but

I can assure you the only way to deal with that is in the end, thoughtful diplomacy.

So statements from me will not add anything here.

And when it comes to the Arctic, I think President Trump is right.

We know that these sea lanes are opening up.

We know that China and Russia are increasingly active in the Arctic.

There are eight countries bordering on the Arctic.

That's Finland and Sweden and Norway and Denmark, Iceland, Canada and the U.S.

and there's only one country bordering on the Arctic outside NATO, and that's Russia.

And I would argue that as a ninth country, which is China, which is increasingly active in the Arctic region.

So President Trump and other leaders are right.

We have to protect the Arctic against Russian and Chinese influence.

And that's exactly what NATO ambassadors decided to do in September.

We are working on that, making sure that collectively will be defense the Arctic region.

You have traditionally been furiously pro American in terms of, you know, efforts to keep them on board as a guarantor of security in Europe.

You've turned the term to the Greenland dispute.

And again, this is a comment that I understand you made last week, a matter between the Danish prime minister and President Trump.

Just briefly, do you still stand by that after everything that you've seen in the past days?

And of course, United States of America, most important Polish bilateral ally.

We are the part of NATO and we feel responsible for NATO.

This is the biggest alliance in the history of 20th century.

But we of course recognize some problems about the Greenland.

And I'm looking at the problem of Greenland from the strategic side.

We fail In Poland, Russian threat for three centuries even, and

we understand it at all in the eastern flank of NATO.

And if we consider, ladies and gentlemen, that global GDP is consistent of 15% of Europe, European Union involvement and 15% of United States of America involvement.

But according in terms of security, United States of America paying 65% for NATO and Europeans 35%.

We have to consider what Donald Trump would like to say about the security because he's responsible for security of the world as the leader and he would like to support.

Do you really think you can stay out of this?

Do you really think you can stay out of this row?

I mean, isn't this the moment right now for solidarity in Europe?

Isn't this key to a united and a strong response?

There is the necessity of solidarity in Europe, but

there is also the necessity of building the good transatlantic relations.

And I think that transatlantic relations are very important.

We know in Europe, me know Alex, all my European friends knows how many mistakes had Europe done after and before 2022.

And Donald Trump tried to convince our European partners that we have to solidify and his voice is very important because of the financial, because of the strategic, just geopolitical point of view.

Thanks to all partners in the diplomatic way.

And I'm how far are you willing to go to have good transatlantic relations?

Does that mean giving the Americans Greenland, selling the Americans Greenland?

How far should European allies go if the Americans do move on Greenland?

You know, we have 10,000American soldiers in Poland.

We buy American military equipment which is the best on the world.

South Korean is also very good, but American is and Finnish tanks you buy and Finnish tanks.

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WEF 2026: The main issue is not Greenland - it's Ukraine, says NATO Chief Mark Rutte I Conflict Zone

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