Tensions between the United States and Greenland have exposed significant vulnerabilities in relations between Europe and the United States, European strategic autonomy, and the international order, a senior Slovak official said Friday.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Michal Bartek, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Defense and Security of the National Council of Slovakia, said U.S. actions have set a dangerous precedent and undermined the foundation of the post-war international order.
"From the perspective of European security and international law, this represents a dangerous precedent that calls into question the very foundations of the post-war international order. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and any demands for 'effective control' by a third country, even by an ally, constitute an intrusion into the sovereignty of an EU member state," he said.
Bartek pointed out that the U.S. practice of using trade tools to exert political pressure not only violates the spirit of international law, but also undermines the rules-based international trading system.
"In Europe, it is increasingly being described as a clear case of trade coercion, the misuse of trade instruments for political pressure. When the United States conditions trade relations on geopolitical demands, it undermines the rules-based international trading system that it itself helped to build," said Bartek.
The EU's current predicament is closely related to its long-term blind following of the United States, not just during the Trump administration, according to the vice-chairman.
"Once again, the European Union is paying the price for years of blindly adopting American narratives, something I have consistently criticized, not only during the era of Donald Trump, but for many decades now. Today, this strategic naivety of Europe is being exposed in full. If another major power behaved in a similar manner, the reaction of the West would be immediate and hysterical. This double standard is unsustainable in the long term," he said.
On the future of Europe's foreign relations, Bartek said that Europe should place greater emphasis on strategic autonomy and promote the diversification of partnerships, such as deepening ties with China.
"This kind of behavior damages trust between Europe and the United States and shows that the U.S. is using trade as a political tool instead of working together. That is why I support more world leaders, including European ones, who are calling for more diverse partnerships, including closer cooperation with China, which in many areas behaves as a more stable and predictable partner," said the official.
Since taking office in January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland.
In December last year, Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, renewing diplomatic tension between Washington and the Danish Realm.
On Jan. 21, Trump renewed his push for U.S. acquisition of Greenland and sharpened criticism of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a special address at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
U.S. Greenland provocations reveal EU vulnerability, undermines int'l order: Slovak official
