US Vice-President JD Vance says Greenland is "critical" for the defence of the US and the world against possible Russian or Chinese missile attacks - and that Europe and Denmark have "not done a good job" in securing the area.

Trump’s threat to annex an autonomous part of Denmark has plunged NATO into an unprecedented situation: An alliance based on collective defense now faces the prospect that one member might attack another.

Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind Greenland on Tuesday, saying the Arctic island belongs to its people, following a renewed threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to take over the Danish territory.

In this framing, Trump’s actions are part of the emergence of a multipolar world, in which the great powers are the US, China, India and Russia. In this world, it makes sense for Russia to invade Ukraine to counter the US, for the US to seize assets in Venezuela and Greenland to counter China, and for China to invade Taiwan to counter the US.

Denmark said European countries must compensate for any halt of US weapons for Ukraine, as Copenhagen assumed the rotating presidency of the European Council on Thursday. Ukraine, seeking to fend off a full-scale invasion launched by Russia in 2022 ...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said that he would meet with Denmark next week, as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeated in recent days that he wants to gain control of Greenland.

Denmark has warned its troops are under standing orders to "shoot first and ask questions later" if Greenland is attacked, as Europe grows anxious over potential US military action. The US is reportedly considering cash payments to Greenlanders to encourage independence from Denmark,