Sir Keir Stamer

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has firmly rejected any suggestion that Greenland’s future could be subject to external pressure, stating unequivocally that the territory remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that its destiny lies solely with the Greenlandic and Danish peoples.

In a statement released by Downing Street on Friday, the Prime Minister said the UK’s position was “very clear” and stressed that sovereignty over Greenland is not open to negotiation.

“Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,” Sir Keir said.

The Prime Minister also underlined the growing strategic importance of the Arctic, warning that security in the region is a collective responsibility for NATO allies, particularly in light of increased Russian activity.

“We have also made clear that Arctic security matters for the whole of NATO and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia across different parts of the Arctic,” he said.

In a pointed intervention aimed at Washington, Sir Keir criticised the use of trade measures against allies contributing to shared defence commitments, describing such actions as fundamentally misguided.

“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the UK would raise the issue directly with the US administration.

The remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Arctic and renewed debate within NATO over burden-sharing, defence spending and strategic coordination. UK officials signalled that London remains committed to a unified alliance approach, insisting that economic pressure between allies risks undermining collective security at a critical moment.

Downing Street confirmed that discussions with US counterparts are expected in the coming days.