The United States believes that Greenland is critical to US missile defense, Vice President J. D. Vance said.
“Greenland is critical not only to our national security, but to the national security of the entire world. The entire missile defense infrastructure depends in part on Greenland“, he said in an interview with Fox News.
The US vice president believes that Denmark has failed to adequately ensure the island's security.
“Ask yourself if Europe, if Denmark, has done the right job of ensuring the security of Greenland so that it can continue to serve as a pillar of global security and missile defense? The answer is definitely no. They have not invested enough in its security; "They didn't do a good enough job," he said.
“Just because you did something smart 25 years ago doesn't mean you can't do something stupid now, and the president of the United States has made it very clear: “You can't handle Greenland,“ Vance continued.
He was asked how far the US administration was prepared to go to achieve its goals regarding the island. “The president will make the final decision on that issue,“ the vice president replied. “We will do everything to protect America's interests. I think the president will go as far as necessary.“
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. In 1951, Washington and Copenhagen signed a treaty in addition to their NATO obligations. According to it, the United States pledged to defend the island from possible aggression.