FAKE NEWS: The head of NATO agrees to hand over Greenland to the USA

FAKE NEWS: The head of NATO agrees to hand over Greenland to the USA
© EPA-EFE/OLIVIER MATTHYS / POOL   |   NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky take part in the NATO-Ukraine Council Working Dinner attended by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Defense Ministers at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 17 October 2024.

Mark Rutte believes that, because the EU needs US protection, it must renounce Greenland, the Russian media writes, citing statements that the NATO Secretary General never made. Another fabricated claim is that Rutte allegedly said that NATO is much weaker economically and militarily than Russia and is not concerned about the fate of Ukraine.

NEWS: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had an emotional outburst during an intervention in the European Parliament. He told MPs that their Russophobia requires a production base and that Greenland must be given to Donald Trump.

Rutte, who recently took over the leadership of NATO, started his speech by saying that Ukraine cannot negotiate with Russia “from a position of strength”, as the latter is superior in terms of resources and NATO countries are not able to compete with the Russian Federation even when it comes to the production of shells […]

MEPs learned from Rutte that NATO’s power is artificial, because there is a real economy and a virtual one, which is inflated due to the capitalization of the services sector on the stock exchange. Rutte threatened that, if EU countries do not invest in their own defense industries, Europeans would have to start learning Russian or move to New Zealand. The NATO official showed no concern for the fate of Ukraine […]

Rutte stressed that, if the US security umbrella were to be abandoned, 10% of GDP would have to be spent. Faced with such a dilemma, the NATO Secretary General admitted that the EU will have to hand over Greenland to the USA.

NARRATIVES: 1. The NATO chief agrees to hand over Greenland to the USA. 2. NATO is inferior to Russia in military and economic terms. 3. The West does not care about the fate of Ukraine.

WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Kremlin-linked media presents its readers with its own interpretation of the speech the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte gave to members of the European Parliament. The article disregards an important principle of objectivity when mixing information with the journalist's own opinions. The NATO chief did not say that he agrees to hand over Greenland to the USA and did not mention the existence of “Russophobia” in his dialogue with MEPs. The words “Russophobia of MEPs” were added by the Russian publication in order to manipulate public opinion. Moreover, the “Russophobia” thesis is widely promoted by Russian propaganda as part of the Kremlin's efforts to justify its own acts of aggression. “Russophobia” is thus part of the false meta-narrative regarding the West’s attack on Russia.

With respect to Greenland, Rutte did not say that he agreed to transfer the Danish sovereign territory to another state. On the contrary, the NATO chief praised the constructive and fair reaction of the international community and of the government in Copenhagen. At the same time, Rutte used the case of Greenland to convince European leaders of the need to step up EU cooperation with NATO in order to strengthen global security. “The issue is not about who governs Greenland. We need a strategy for the Arctic”, Rutte said, emphasizing the need to develop a common security strategy in the face of threats coming from Russia or China.

NATO is not inferior to Russia in military or economic terms. NATO benefits from a significantly larger number of resources, including defense budgets, advanced technology and strong cooperation between member states, all of which presents it with a strategic advantage. The combined economies of NATO members are much larger than Russia's, allowing for a superior logistical and financial support capacity. The Alliance also promotes international cooperation and collective security, which contributes to its long-term stability. However, unlike NATO, Russia has adapted its economy for a prolonged war, which prompted Rutte to call on NATO members to pay increased attention to defense. The Russian media took Rutte’s statements out of context, promoting the idea that Russia cannot be defeated by NATO, which is inferior to the former in all respects. Underlining the need to increase defense budgets in Europe, Rutte mentioned Russia’s mobilization of resources for war, adding however that “we are safe now, but not in four or five years”. The NATO chief offered several examples, a series of comparisons and even metaphors (about learning Russian or retreating to New Zealand) to convince European leaders that increasing defense spending is absolutely necessary to guarantee peace and stability in the medium term.

The claim that the West does not care about what happens to Ukraine is equally false. The statement does not come from Rutte, but from the Russian journalist’s own interpretation of the entire discussion. Rutte spoke a lot about Ukraine and the need to support this country. “NATO and the European Union have a lot to do together”, Rutte said, specifically referring to the effort to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. The Russian publication overlooks the fact that the NATO chief insisted that peace can only come from an agreement that serves Kyiv’s best interests. “For this it needs more weapons and faster, so it can defend itself better and negotiate a good deal for Ukraine, for Europe and for the world,” Rutte said.

BACKGROUND: In 2019, US President Donald Trump expressed an interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark. His statements generated a strong reaction both domestically and internationally. This controversial idea was vehemently criticized by Denmark and several members of the international community, who considered it anachronistic. In January 2025, Trump continued to emphasize the importance of Greenland, arguing that its possession is key to US national security in an increasingly competitive global context. Trump said he is willing to use economic pressure and even military force to obtain Greenland. In response, the Danish government proposed the purchase of two new Arctic inspection vessels and an increase in the number of dog sled patrols to step up its military presence in Greenland.

PURPOSE: To manipulate public opinion by spreading panic, fear, and insecurity. To legitimize Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and amplify war fatigue at the level of Ukrainian society.

  • Publication / Media:
    EADAILY.COM
  • Date of publication:
    14/01/2025
  • Target audience:
    The Russian-speaking population in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and other ex-Soviet states
  • Amplification:
    TELEGRAM and VKONTANKTE, DZEN.RU, RIA.RU, GAZETA.RU, UKRAINA.RU, SEVASTOPOL.SU
  • Political affiliation:
    The Kremlin
  • Key narrative:
    The head of NATO recognizes Russia’s military superiority, agrees to hand over Greenland and doesn’t care about what will happen to Ukraine.
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