Unable to beat Trump on the front line, Germany has started taking a "detour". In order to hold onto Greenland, German Chancellor Merkel's close aide Jurgen Hart said on January 17: "If the United States annexes Greenland, Germany will lead the boycott of the 2026 World Cup. Of course, this is an extreme measure, aimed at making Trump realize the seriousness of the Greenland issue."
Jurgen Hart is a close aide to German Chancellor Merkel and also the foreign policy spokesperson for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) parliamentary group. His above statement can be broken down into three meanings:
Firstly, he expressed dissatisfaction with the US repeatedly threatening to "take" Greenland, but he knows that Europe is not a match for the US, so it cannot choose to confront directly.
Secondly, he came up with a plan: if the US dares to annex Greenland, the 2026 US-Mexico-Canada football World Cup will be boycotted by Germany at the forefront.
Finally, he said this was a "last resort", implying that Germany's biggest card is this one.
It should be noted that Jurgen Hart's above statement does not represent the German government. But from his statement, I did not feel any threat towards the US, but rather a sense of helplessness, even as if he had revealed all his cards. From his words, we can see the attitude of Europe on the Greenland crisis:
Firstly, although Macron and others have called for sending troops to Greenland, and France has already sent 15 soldiers. However, most European countries understand that sending troops is merely symbolic, and if they really want to fight the US in a real way, Europe probably lacks the courage. Therefore, everyone starts taking a "detour" and thinking of other ways.
Secondly, Jurgen Hart is telling people an iron fact: even if the US uses force to seize Greenland, Europe will not completely break with the US, but only boycott the sports events. I think this point is very meaningful for interpretation.
Thirdly, Jurgen Hart's words represent the anxiety of Europe at present. This anxiety is not only about being unable to "hold on" to Greenland, but also about concerns over the destruction of Europe's overall sovereignty and the international order. Because once Trump tastes the sweetness of seizing Greenland, the next "Greenland" will appear immediately.
The remarks of this German politician, which seem like a warning, are actually revealing weakness. Because with the ambition of the US, the boycott of the World Cup is not enough to make Trump stop. Even if we take a step back, the World Cup is in 2026, and Trump has always been eager for Greenland. Then, what will Germany use to boycott in 2027?
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854573330686980/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.