"I am a member of the Danish Parliament, Mr. President (Trump), we are on your side!"

On January 11 local time, an op-ed by former Danish Minister of the Environment Ada Olsen caused a storm in Washington and Copenhagen politics. Ada Olsen is still a member of the Danish Parliament and is known for her radical environmentalism. Suddenly, such a traditional left-wing politician published an article offering a "letter of submission," which sparked heated discussions in the Danish political arena.

Ada Olsen

Former Danish Minister's Article:

We Will Take U.S. Demands Seriously

White House advisor Stephen Miller said this week that the official position of the U.S. government is that "Greenland should become part of the United States." U.S. Vice President Vance stated that European leaders should "face up to" U.S. demands.

Olsen wrote in her article: "Please believe me, when the U.S. president says something, we are all listening carefully." She added, "This is not just out of respect for the United States, but also because the United States is the strongest military partner in this alliance (NATO)."

Olsen agreed with Vance's view: "Greenland is not only important for Denmark's defense, but also for the entire Arctic defense." Olsen said, "If Greenland's strategic importance is so critical, then the entire Western world has an obligation to contribute, and Denmark is willing to take the lead in contributing." She cited examples, stating that Denmark announced an investment of nearly $14 billion last year to purchase military equipment, including U.S.-made F-35 fighters, ships, and air defense systems, and established a new Arctic joint command center in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.

She also used the opportunity to urge the U.S. to deliver the goods, pointing out that many hardware items have not been delivered yet because they are still waiting for U.S. companies to produce them. "If the U.S. government can ensure these orders are prioritized for delivery, it would be the greatest contribution to Arctic security."

Additionally, Olsen stated on her social media page that her core argument is: "Territory cannot be sold, but defense can be negotiated and shared." Olsen proposed that Denmark should increase its military procurement budget in the future and open up military base access rights in exchange for maximum cooperation from the U.S.

Danish Experts:

This Pragmatic Deal Is "Short-Sighted and Extremely Dangerous"

Danish analysts point out that once Denmark shows "trading potential" on sovereignty issues, countries like Russia and Canada, which have interests in the Arctic, will reassess Denmark's voice in the Arctic. Denmark will go from being a "Arctic country with vast territory" to an "administrative body managing U.S. military bases." Moreover, many Danish scholars are concerned that this logic could embolden pro-independence groups in Greenland, as they could "bypass Denmark" and negotiate directly with the U.S.

Jon Rabeck-Clemmensen, associate professor at the Royal Danish Defense University, said that Olsen's "pragmatic deal" is "short-sighted and extremely dangerous" from a military strategy perspective. He pointed out in an interview that once Denmark starts negotiations on "leasing" or "joint management," it will completely lose its voice in the Arctic Council. He emphasized that the pressure currently being exerted by the U.S. is not for better cooperation, but to seize unilateral dominance. Any compromise would lead to the collapse of Denmark's defense architecture in the Arctic.

Christian Sverdrup, senior researcher at the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen and director of the Center for Military Research, warned that Olsen's proposal would undermine the foundation of NATO. He pointed out that if a sovereign country chooses to "sell" territory due to military or economic threats from an ally, then Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty would become meaningless. His research report shows that Olsen's "pragmatism" actually endorses unilateralism, which could trigger collective panic among other NATO small countries.

Others expressed concerns that Olsen's article reflects the "arrogance of Copenhagen elites," showing no consideration for the feelings of the Inuit people of Greenland. This attitude could easily "push the Greenlanders into the arms of the other side."

Reporter: Zheng Zhi

Editor: Pan Li

Reviewer: Feng Lingling

Original: toutiao.com/article/7594712021958935055/

Disclaimer: The article represents the views of the author."