The EU’s little-known way to save Greenland without NATO
Key Points:
- Denmark could invoke Article 42.7 of the EU treaties, the EU's mutual defense clause, if the U.S. attempts to take over Greenland, as NATO would likely be ineffective given U.S. dominance in the alliance.
- Article 42.7 obligates EU member states to aid a member under armed aggression, but requires unanimous approval from all members to be triggered, which could be complicated by potential vetoes from countries like Hungary.
- The clause has only been used once, by France in 2015 after terrorist attacks, and while it sends a strong political message, the EU lacks a standing army, so military responses depend on individual member states' contributions.
- Invoking Article 42.7 could lead to various responses,