Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

Iceland debates defense strategy amid Trump’s Greenland threats

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Wall Street Journal
  • 28 Apr 2025 10:32
3 Min Read

Iceland reviews its defense strategy as Trump’s Greenland ambitions fuel calls for stronger NATO ties and renewed Arctic security discussions.

Listen
  • x
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, greets Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir prior to a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (AP)
    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, greets Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir prior to a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP)

Icelanders are increasingly engaged in discussions about national defense as concerns rise over US President Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland. Alongside this, calls to reconsider Iceland’s stalled EU accession talks are gaining momentum, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir plans to hold a referendum on the EU membership issue by 2027, after addressing what she describes as more immediate national priorities. Some argue, however, that Trump's policies could accelerate the country’s shift toward the EU.

One of the most pressing matters is a comprehensive review of Iceland’s defense strategy. Frostadottir stressed that the public must be involved in shaping this policy, acknowledging that military discussions have historically been uncomfortable or avoided in Iceland.

For years, Iceland and other Nordic nations have sought to prevent the militarization of the Arctic. As this goal becomes less attainable, Iceland must now consider how to strengthen its defense posture. Frostadottir reiterated that while public support for a standing military remains low, the need for active defenses and alliances is growing.

Initially tasked with protecting vital fishing zones, Iceland's coast guard has expanded its role to managing the Keflavik air base and operating key air-defense systems.

Related News

Europe's Trump concessions risk democracy, trade losses: FT op-ed

Declassified papers reveal Clinton floated Russian NATO membership

These changes reflect Iceland’s evolving role within NATO, where the country has supported alliance missions by deploying medical teams and managing civilian operations, such as Afghanistan’s main airport.

Iceland’s strategic importance in NATO contrasts sharply with Greenland’s situation. Denmark, under pressure from Trump’s administration, has expanded its military presence in Greenland with the islanders’ consent.

Liselotte Odgaard, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, highlighted that Greenland’s previous neglect of defense left it vulnerable to external pressures.

Iceland’s EU membership talks resurface amid global tensions

Frostadottir, one of the youngest leaders in the world, leads a social-democratic party that supports EU membership. She emphasized that Icelanders are closely monitoring developments in Greenland due to historical ties, especially as Trump's confrontational policies toward Europe make EU membership more appealing.

Negotiations over Iceland’s accession to the EU have remained on hold since 2013, following the eurozone crisis. Trump’s threats toward Greenland and his broader stance on Europe have unsettled many Icelanders, reigniting interest in aligning more closely with the EU.

Frostadottir, who holds master’s degrees from Yale and Boston University, wants any future referendum on EU talks to remain balanced. She cautioned against using security fears to push for membership, emphasizing the need for a thoughtful and inclusive national conversation.

However, some political figures, like MP Dagur Eggertsson, argue that shifting global dynamics may necessitate bringing forward the referendum on EU accession, particularly as Europe's international role continues to expand.

  • Nato
  • Iceland
  • Greenland
  • Kristrun Frostadottir
  • Arctic region
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS