Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday that any hypothetical U.S. military intervention or attempt to seize Greenland, a semi‑autonomous territory of Denmark and part of NATO, would be a profound breach of international norms and potentially catastrophic for Western security.
Tusk, speaking at a press conference, reiterated that Poland will not send troops to Greenland amid rising diplomatic tensions over U.S. interest in the strategically located Arctic island. He stressed that an attack by one NATO country on the territory of another would represent “the end of the world as we know it,” warning that such a move would undermine the alliance’s foundational principles and collective security.
Poland’s announcement comes as several NATO allies — including Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway — have begun deploying small contingents of military personnel to Greenland for Operation Arctic Endurance, a Danish‑led exercise aimed at bolstering Arctic security and signaling alliance unity.
The heightened focus on Greenland follows a renewed push from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said the United States needs Greenland for “national security” and should consider all options, including the involvement of NATO, to secure the territory. Trump has argued that Russian and Chinese military and economic activity in the region necessitates stronger U.S. presence, and he has not explicitly ruled out using military force to gain control of the island.
Greenland’s location — off the northeastern coast of North America and adjacent to key Arctic sea lanes — has long made it important to U.S. defense strategy, hosting early warning radar and U.S. military facilities such as Pituffik Space Base under longstanding agreements with Denmark.
However, Denmark, Greenland’s government, and European leaders have firmly rejected the notion of U.S. annexation or unilateral takeover. Greenland’s government has emphasized that defense should be managed collectively through NATO, and the Danish prime minister has warned that any attempt by the United States to seize the island by force would effectively end the alliance.
Tusk’s remarks reflect concerns among European NATO members about the consequences of one member contemplating force against another. “A conflict, or an attempt to take the territory of one NATO member by another — especially the United States — would be the end of the world as we know it, a world that has guaranteed our security for decades,” Tusk said. He added that if transatlantic relations deteriorated, Europe would need to build a new security architecture with partners committed to the Western alliance’s principles.
The issue has deepened diplomatic strains this month, with Greenlandic and Danish leaders reaffirming the island’s sovereignty and rejection of any sale or transfer to the United States, and the European Union expressing solidarity with their position.
While Trump continues to portray Greenland as critical to U.S. strategic interests, his remarks have unsettled key allies who see the idea of annexation — or even the suggestion of intercepting the territory through force — as incompatible with NATO solidarity and international law. Tusk’s stark warning underscores the scale of political risk Western leaders associate with any military confrontation over Greenland.
