European countries have continued to show support for Greenland in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's call for the United States to control the Arctic island. 

Rasmus Jarlov, chair of the Danish Defence Committee, said on Sunday that any military confrontation over Greenland would be "the dumbest war in history."

Speaking in an interview with Sky News, Jarlov said Trump's ambition to seize Greenland represents "a contender for the most illegitimate land claim in modern history."

Jarlov also noted that neither Russia nor China has any activities in Greenland. "They don't have consulates. They don't have any mining activities. They don't own anything. They're simply not there."

He stressed that "the Greenlanders have made it very, very, very clear that they do not want to become Americans and that they are not for sale."

British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander did not rule out a British troop deployment to Greenland when questioned about the possibility on Sunday.

Alexander told Sky News that discussions about such a deployment were "business-as-usual" coordination among NATO allies.

British officials have reportedly been holding discussions with French and German counterparts over a potential NATO military deployment in Greenland.

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland, to which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded by saying that the future of Greenland should be determined by Greenland and Denmark.

German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil also said on Sunday that the future of Greenland is a matter solely for Denmark and Greenland to decide.

Speaking ahead of his departure for meetings in the United States, Klingbeil stressed that international legal principles apply to everyone, including the United States, according to the website of Tagesschau, the flagship news program of German public broadcaster ARD.

Referring to the U.S. rhetoric toward Denmark and Greenland, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Sunday that Washington should instead show gratitude toward Denmark as it has been a longstanding ally, at the annual Swedish security policy conference in the western resort town of Salen.

Kristersson also pledged Swedish support for Denmark.

The Swedish prime minister voiced concern about the status of small countries in the current global situation. "There is a risk that small countries will be sacrificed along the way. For a country like Sweden, this is especially serious."

Also addressing the conference, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf said that, given the serious situation in Europe and the world, different parts of society must come together to discuss the challenges ahead, with the aim of creating a better world where stable nations can live in peace.

During the security conference organized by Swedish civic defense organization Folk och Forsvar, Peter Hultqvist, former defense minister and current chair of the Swedish Parliamentary Defense Committee, called for stronger governmental initiative on the Greenland issue.

Greenland, a former Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, though Denmark retains authority over foreign affairs and defense.

Trump has recently repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland, saying that he would not rule out using "military or economic coercion" to achieve that goal.

(With input from Xinhua)