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Trump’s Greenland threat pushes Iceland closer to EU integration

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Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir looks on during a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, February 25, 2026. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki

Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir during a press conference in Warsaw on Feb 25.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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  • Donald Trump's unfulfilled quest for Greenland has paradoxically pushed neighbouring Iceland to move closer to possible European Union membership.
  • Iceland holds vital strategic importance in the "GIUK Gap", crucial for NATO in blocking Russian submarine access to the Atlantic, US General Christopher Cavoli warns.
  • Driven by recent events, Iceland is now expediting a referendum on EU membership. Despite potential fishery issues, Iceland offers significant strategic gains for Europe.

AI generated

US President Donald Trump is far from achieving his declared objective of acquiring Greenland, the self-governing Arctic territory that is part of Denmark, an EU member-state.

Still,

Mr Trump’s threats to use force in his quest for Greenland

may have succeeded in persuading Iceland, a neighbouring country in the North Atlantic, to get closer to the EU.

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