EU needs more autonomy as US breaches international law: EU official

A member of the European Parliament said the European Union has no choice but to pursue greater independence following U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and renewed pressure over Greenland.

On Jan 3, the United States launched large-scale military strikes against Venezuela, seizing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by force before placing them into custody in New York. The intervention shocked the international community and drew widespread condemnation, intensifying concerns about America's disregard for international law.

Since taking office in January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed for control of Greenland, appointing a special envoy last December and renewing the push at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan 21. The moves have heightened diplomatic tensions with Denmark and fueled European unease over U.S. ambitions.

In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Slovak MEP Lubos Blaha warned that the United States' conduct has undermined international law and eroded trust across Europe.

"They just behave like imperialists. They want oil from Venezuela, so they will take it. They want Greenland, so they will take it. International law is not valid anymore. The United States as a superpower wants to breach the international law whenever they want. In the end, the European Union will have no other chance than to make more autonomy and more sovereign decisions. I will tell you very, very honestly, NATO is dead. NATO is now a dead project. Nobody will trust the United States anymore. So the only chance is the European Union to be more autonomous," said Blaha.

Blaha also emphasized that the EU should be more assertive in its trade and tariff negotiations with the U.S. and should not become a puppet.

"I think that the European Union is starting to think also about this: we cannot be just in this submissive position. Americans will say, we are going to impose the tariffs on you and you need to be like puppets and you will just behave like we want. They are doing this weaponizing of their economic power. They are doing this for decades. And now, first time, they are doing this to European countries. So suddenly the European Union is very shocked. But this kind of American hegemony and this kind of neoliberal globalization was always dominated by the United States," he said.

EU needs more autonomy as US breaches international law: EU official

European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on Tuesday reiterated the EU's support for Greenland and Denmark amid uncertainty.

Addressing the Arctic Frontiers conference 2026 in Tromso, Norway, Kallas stated that although tensions in Greenland are lower than they were a few weeks ago, there is still little clarity about what comes next or when the next dispute may arise.

"I will reiterate what I said, that the European Union stands with Greenland. We stand with our member state Denmark and we stand by the UN Charter," said Kallas, adding that Greenland's future is for the Greenlanders and Denmark to decide.

She also called for a new Arctic policy to deal with the escalating geopolitical tensions, climate change and growing economic interests in the region.

On Monday, the Danish Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Denmark decided to build five Arctic ships across multiple production sites in the country, with final assembly taking place in Frederikshavn, and this will help the country strengthen its defense capabilities.

The statement said that the shipyard in Friedrichshafen would be upgraded and it would be possible to build ships larger than these five warships in the future.

Greenland, the world's largest island, primarily located within the Arctic Circle, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over defense and foreign policy. Since returning to office in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland, sparking strong opposition across Europe.

According to a report released by a Danish intelligence agency in December 2025, Denmark has for the first time labeled the U.S. as a potential security concern.

A poll released by Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) on Tuesday showed that up to 60 percent of respondents described the U.S. as an adversary, while only 17 percent considered it still an ally.

EU reiterates support for Greenland, Denmark amid uncertainty