Britain won’t let US use its bases to attack Greenland, says John Healey
Donald Trump has insisted that taking over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, is vital for his country's national security.
There is “no question” of British bases being used to support US military action against Greenland, the Defence Secretary has said.
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On a visit to Kyiv, John Healey rejected the prospect of UK support for an attack on Greenland, saying the UK would only act “on a fully legal basis”.
Asked whether he would allow British bases, personnel or equipment to be used to support US action against Greenland, Mr Healey said: “There’s no question of that.
“Greenland and Denmark are part of Nato, we and the US are part of that alliance with treaty obligations.
“And so far as the UK’s support for any nation with any military action, we will do so if the purpose is correct and if the legal basis is sound.”
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His comments come after a week of mounting concern that Donald Trump could deploy US troops to achieve his aim of taking over Greenland, which he claims is vital for American national security.
US officials have said they could use “military means” to “acquire” the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has warned that any US military action against Greenland would spell the end of the Nato alliance, of which her country is a member.
And European leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, have repeatedly stressed that the future of the semi-autonomous Danish territory must be left up to Greenland and Denmark alone.
Sir Keir himself “set out his position” on Greenland in a phone call with Mr Trump on Wednesday evening.
That call was followed by a flurry of diplomatic activity, including conversations with both Ms Frederiksen and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte on the need to “do more to deter Russian aggression” in the High North.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Sir Keir to rule out British support for US action, saying the UK “must never play midwife to American aggression directed against our Nato allies”.
He said he was “deeply concerned” that Sir Keir was yet to rule out the use of British bases, and said the Prime Minister should “spell out to Trump and his lawless cabinet that the UK will never support such a dangerous act”.