A Xinhua News Agency commentary argues that Europe’s strategic vulnerability is not just the Greenland issue, but rather in its long-standing dependence on the United States and NATO. The article opens by citing U.S. interest in Greenland and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s warning that any use of force by the United States against a NATO ally could fracture the alliance — a reaction the commentary portrays as cautious and resigned rather than firm and resolute.
According to the commentary, Europe’s security architecture has for decades been built on NATO and U.S. military dominance, severely constraining its strategic autonomy. Despite repeated calls to strengthen independent defense capabilities, European countries remain heavily reliant on Washington, a dependence further deepened by ongoing security pressures such as the war in Ukraine.
The commentary criticizes Europe for accepting U.S. dominance at its own expense, arguing that this imbalance allows Washington to leverage Europe militarily, economically, and geopolitically — from defense spending demands to broader strategic concessions. Europe’s failure to draw clear red lines, even on matters involving its own territory, is cited as evidence of what the article describes as a lack of genuine sovereignty.
Source: Xinhua, January 16, 2026
https://www.xinhuanet.com/20260116/750dd9b3ec1c43d2b060185a5ddecba6/c.html