BRUSSELS: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has called for a more united and strategically autonomous Europe, declaring that the continent must not allow itself to be treated as subordinate to the United States amid rising tensions linked to Greenland and broader transatlantic relations.
Addressing Belgium’s parliament on Thursday ahead of an EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels, De Wever said recent developments had exposed Europe’s vulnerabilities and underscored the urgency of strengthening cooperation. “The United States is the strongest, but our dignity is not for sale. We are not slaves,” he said, according to public broadcaster RTBF.
His remarks followed his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where US President Donald Trump announced that a framework had been reached for a potential deal involving Greenland and the wider Arctic region. Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland — citing its strategic location, mineral resources and concerns over Russian and Chinese influence — has unsettled several European capitals.
De Wever said Europe had narrowly avoided “a real catastrophe” and argued the episode should serve as a wake-up call. “We Europeans must be prepared to weather storms and stand alone,” he said, urging faster progress on defence cooperation, capital markets integration and stronger EU coordination mechanisms. “Even if it’s not for tomorrow, we must accelerate.”
EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the evolving relationship with Washington and the implications of US policy shifts for European security and economic interests.
Separately, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe’s strategic weakness contrasted sharply with US global dominance. Speaking to RTBF, Prevot said Washington had misinterpreted the deployment of European troops to Greenland as an anti-American gesture, stressing that it was intended to reassure the US and address Arctic security challenges linked to China and Russia.
Prevot welcomed Trump’s decision to drop the threat of additional tariffs on European countries but warned that the pause could be temporary given the US president’s “unpredictability”. He said the European Union must prepare proportionate response plans, including possible economic countermeasures, should trade tensions resurface.
