On January 12, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that members are discussing ways to protect the Arctic, as allies respond to comments by US President Donald Trump about taking over Greenland.
In line with Trump’s position on the Arctic, "All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security," Rutte stated during a press conference in Croatia.
"With sea lanes opening up, there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active." Rutte also said NATO has been discussing Arctic security since last year and is now planning practical next steps.
Ever since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in 1949, member states have held onto the long-running promise of unity in the face of adversity. It is a promise to consolidate resources to ensure victory against enemies.
Recently, however, President Trump has caused waves after confirming his plans to annex Greenland, a self-governing territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Since both Denmark and the US are members of NATO, this has spread alarm and created political tension across the Western world.
But what, exactly, could happen if the US decided to leave NATO? And what would the organization’s resources look like? Click on to find out.