'Shoot first, ask questions later': Denmark's warning to Trump; tensions soar over Greenland

Denmark has warned that its troops are nether lasting orders to "shoot archetypal and inquire questions later" if Greenland comes nether attack, arsenic anxiousness grows successful Europe implicit the United States nether Persident Donald Trump openly weighing subject enactment to prehend the Arctic territory.The country's defence ministry said a Cold War-era regularisation obliges soldiers to respond instantly to immoderate overseas penetration without waiting for governmental clearance oregon ceremonial orders. Speaking to Danish paper Berlingske, the ministry said the directive requires forces to "immediately instrumentality up the fight" if attacked and remains afloat successful force.The rule, introduced successful 1952, states that successful the lawsuit of an invasion, troops indispensable enactment “without waiting for oregon seeking orders, adjacent if the commanders successful question are not alert of the declaration of warfare oregon authorities of war”.

Danish officials said the proviso applies careless of who the invading unit whitethorn be.Europe scrambles to propulsion backThe informing comes arsenic European leaders conflict to framework a effect to repeated statements by Donald Trump, who has refused to regularisation retired the usage of unit to annex Greenland. The White House has said Trump is inactive considering each options, heightening unease among Denmark’s allies.European governments person rallied down Copenhagen, with calls for a coordinated effect to immoderate US determination against Greenland.

French overseas curate Jean-Noel Barrot said helium would sermon the contented with his German and Polish counterparts, emphasising the request for corporate action.“We privation to instrumentality action, but we privation to bash truthful unneurotic with our European partners,” Barrot told France Inter radio.He added that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had “discarded” the thought that Greenland could look an involution akin to the caller US battle connected Venezuela aimed astatine ousting President Nicolas Maduro.

Despite those assurances, Denmark’s reaffirmation of its shoot-first doctrine underscores however earnestly it is preparing for the anticipation of escalation.'$10,000 to $100,000 per person'The Trump medication is considering a program to connection nonstop currency payments to Greenlanders successful an effort to transportation them to interruption distant from Denmark and determination person to the United States, according to aggregate sources cited by quality bureau Reuters.US officials person talked internally astir offering lump sum payments of betwixt $10,000 and $100,000 per idiosyncratic to residents of Greenland.

The land federation is presently a semi-autonomous Danish territory with a colonisation of astir 57,000 and has an abundance of utile earthy resources. The thought remains astatine a preliminary signifier and details are inactive unclear. Aides person discussed figures that could magnitude to astir $6 cardinal successful total, sources said.Another enactment being discussed is simply a Compact of Free Association, an statement the US already has with immoderate Pacific land nations. Under specified deals, the US provides fiscal assistance and defence extortion successful instrumentality for subject access. Greenland would apt person to go autarkic from Denmark first, and payments could beryllium utilized to promote nationalist enactment for that measurement oregon for a aboriginal agreement.Polls amusement astir Greenlanders favour independency from Denmark, but surveys besides bespeak they bash not privation to go portion of the United States.