Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, together with the party’s foreign policy spokesperson Aron Emilsson and international secretary Mattias Karlsson, is sharply critical of the US after reports that President Donald Trump has once again raised the question of an American takeover of Greenland. In an opinion piece in Expressen, Åkesson warns of an imperial mindset that threatens international law and demands that the Nordic countries and Europe take a stand—not just with words, but with action.

In the opinion article, Åkesson describes the US’s recurring claims on Greenland as increasingly serious. He believes that such reasoning goes against fundamental principles of territorial integrity and national sovereignty—values that the Western world, according to him, traditionally stands up for.

Even discussing a takeover of territory belonging to a democratic allied state, he calls a violation of the UN Charter and an affront to the principle of sovereignty. According to Åkesson, the US ‘deserves a strong response on the Greenland issue.’

Denmark as a loyal ally

Åkesson is especially upset that these demands are being made of Denmark, which he describes as one of the US’s most loyal allies. According to the article, Denmark has paid a high price by participating militarily and politically in American operations.

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Against this background, he argues that the US’s actions appear as a ‘stab in the back’ of a neighboring country and close partner.

The security arguments are questioned

A central theme in the article is criticism of the US’s security policy reasoning. Åkesson questions whether the US really needs to own Greenland to strengthen its security in the Arctic.

He points out that the US has, for a long time, scaled back much of its military presence on the island, while Denmark has strengthened its own. When Washington now refers to strategic needs, Åkesson calls it ‘pure opportunism’, especially since the US already has far-reaching agreements granting access to bases and the possibility of military buildup.

The Nordics should act jointly

For Åkesson, sharp rhetoric is not enough. He wants to see concrete measures in which the Nordic countries and Europe, together with Denmark, increase their presence around Greenland. This should be defensive but clear, to raise the threshold against any idea of forced solutions.

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He mentions, among other things, strengthened surveillance, joint exercises, expanded civil-military infrastructure, and clear demonstrations of sovereignty within the framework of international law.

‘Nordic territory is not real estate’

Finally, Åkesson emphasizes that this stance is not anti-American. The US remains an important partner, he writes, but ‘Nordic territory is not real estate.’

An assertive Nordic region must, in his view, defend its borders and respect that no people sells their land—even when that means pushing back against a powerful ally.