Swedish PM urges EU unity after U.S. steps back on Greenland

Europe should draw lessons from its response to the United States over Greenland and strengthen unity, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference in Stockholm alongside Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson, Kristersson commented on the Greenland issue and Europe's relations with the United States.

"Yesterday was a good learning opportunity about how we in the EU can act together from now on," Kristersson said, adding that "a united Europe was able to make the United States back down."

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte produced "the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland," and that he would not proceed with tariffs on eight European countries that were due to take effect on February 1.

Trump also said on Wednesday that he did not intend to take Greenland by military force but called for "immediate negotiations" on U.S. acquisition of the territory, describing it as "a strategic national and international security interest."

"It's good that things have calmed down, and it's also a good lesson for how we within the EU should act in the future," Kristersson said.

Stenergard echoed the call for unity, saying it had "never been so clear" how important European cooperation is. "When Europe is strong, Sweden is also strong," she said.

Kristersson said the immediate crisis had eased, but that tough U.S. rhetoric toward Denmark, Greenland and Europe remained. He added that he did not know the details of any prospective solution.

Kristersson said Europe's security situation is the most serious since World War II and said Sweden would be willing to contribute to a stronger military presence in Greenland and the wider Arctic region.

Earlier, several European countries, including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, said they would deploy military personnel to Greenland for the "Arctic Endurance" exercise, in a show of support for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland.

NATO says it plans military exercises in the Arctic in coming months

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said on Thursday that it has already pre-planned military exercises in the Arctic in the near future.

Saying the Arctic is a region of strategic relevance for NATO, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO's chair of the military committee, told reporters at a briefing that NATO has pre-planned military exercises and training activities for the months to come.

(With input from Xinhua)