Donald Trump will not take Greenland by power, Lord Mandelson says

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f173/live/2e395150-eef2-11f0-9bba-e7a018685508.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images US president Donald Trump stares glumly off-camera. He's wearing a typical blue business suit, white shirt and deep blue tie with small navy blue polka dots. There is a US flag pin badge on his lapel." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Getty Photographs US President Donald Trump wouldn't "land on Greenland and take it by power", Lord Mandelson has mentioned.

The previous UK ambassador to the US informed the BBC he admired Trump's "directness" in political talks however mentioned he was not a "idiot", and advisers would remind him taking Greenland would "spell actual hazard" for the US nationwide curiosity.

There was rising focus throughout Trump's time period on how the semi-autonomous Danish territory is run, with Trump on Saturday saying the US needed to "own" Greenland to stop Russia and China from doing so , and would obtain it "the straightforward means" or "the onerous means".

Denmark and Greenland say the territory shouldn't be on the market, with Denmark warning navy motion would spell the top of the Nato navy alliance.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will maintain talks with Denmark about Greenland subsequent week. The AFP information company stories {that a} Danish ballot means that 38% of Danes assume the US will launch an invasion of Greenland underneath the Trump administration.

Talking on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Lord Mandelson mentioned: "He is not going to try this [use military action to take Greenland]. I do not know, however I am providing my greatest judgement as someone who's noticed him at pretty shut quarters."

Sparsely populated, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it ideally placed for missile early warning systems and for monitoring vessels within the area.

Trump has repeatedly maintained that Greenland is important to US nationwide safety, claiming with out proof that it was "lined with Russian and Chinese language ships in every single place". His concentrate on the territory returned after a commando raid on the Venezuelan capital Caracas final week seized president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and killed dozens of people .

Lord Mandelson, who solely lasted a couple of months as ambassador, additionally mentioned: "We're all going to should get up to the truth that the Arctic wants securing towards China and Russia. And should you ask me who's going to steer in that effort to safe, everyone knows, do not we, that it may be america."

In the meantime, the UK is working with Nato allies to bolster safety within the Arctic, a senior minister informed BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander mentioned discussions about securing the area towards Russia and China have been a part of Nato's traditional enterprise somewhat than a response to the US navy menace, after which mentioned the UK agreed with Trump that the Arctic Circle is an more and more contested a part of the world.

"It's actually vital that we do every little thing that we are able to with all of our Nato allies to make sure that we now have an efficient deterrent in that a part of the globe towards Putin", she mentioned.

However Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch mentioned the state of affairs in Greenland was a "second order" problem as compared to what's at present taking place in Iran, as protesters there defy a government crackdown .

Questions round sending troops to Greenland have been "hypothetical" as a result of "the US has not invaded Greenland," she mentioned.

The US already has important affect over Greenland. Underneath present agreements with Denmark, the US has the facility to convey as many troops because it desires to the territory.

However on Saturday, Trump informed reporters in Washington that present agreements weren't ok.

"I really like the folks of China. I really like the folks of Russia," Trump mentioned. "However I do not need them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to occur.

"And by the best way, Nato's acquired to know that."

Earlier this week Denmark's Nato allies - main European nations in addition to Canada - have rallied to its assist with statements reaffirming that "solely Denmark and Greenland can resolve on issues regarding their relations".

A key architect of New Labour, Lord Mandelson has been out and in of British politics for 4 a long time.

He held quite a lot of ministerial roles from the election of Tony Blair - and needed to resign from put up twice - till Labour misplaced energy in 2010.