Necva Tastan Sevinc
07 January 2026•Update: 07 January 2026
ISTANBUL
France on Wednesday firmly dismissed any suggestion of a possible US military move against Greenland, calling such rhetoric “nonsense” and incompatible with NATO principles.
Speaking to France Inter radio, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the idea of one NATO country attacking another was inconceivable and ran counter to the alliance’s core interests.
“As for a possible intervention by force, even if I do not engage in political or diplomatic fiction, this is not political fiction; it is nonsense from the White House,” Barrot said.
"It makes absolutely no sense for a NATO country to attack another NATO country. It would make no sense at all and, above all, it would be absolutely contrary to interests."
The remarks come after repeated statements from US President Donald Trump and members of his administration suggesting Washington was considering “all options” regarding Greenland, including the use of force, comments that have triggered unease across Europe.
Barrot reiterated France’s position that Greenland’s status is not open to negotiation, stressing that the Arctic territory belongs to its people and that any decisions concerning its future rest solely with Greenland and Denmark.
Ukraine and European security guarantees
Barrot also highlighted what he described as an unprecedented step toward collective security guarantees for Ukraine, following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on Tuesday, bringing together European and international partners.
“But clearly yesterday was not a meeting like the others,” he said. “It was a big day for peace, for peace for Ukraine and for Europe.”
According to Barrot, it marked the first time in decades that around 30 countries from Europe, North America, and Asia agreed to pool their military capabilities to ensure that peace in Ukraine, once concluded, could be effectively guaranteed.
“This is totally unprecedented,” he said.
On Washington’s role, Barrot said US support would go beyond political backing and include concrete military contributions in support of the “Coalition of the Willing.”
“First of all, it means providing a certain number of military capabilities in support of the military capabilities of this Coalition of the Willing,” he said, adding that these forces would operate behind the front line in support of Ukraine’s armed forces.
He noted that Ukraine’s army, expected to maintain a strength of around 800,000 troops, would remain the first line of defense for the country.
Barrot also indicated that while the final declaration stopped short of spelling out explicit response mechanisms, US commitments were clear in substance.
“If there is an international interposition force, so to speak, in Ukraine, and if there is a Russian attack, the United States will retaliate and will help the European troops,” he said.
Venezuela
Barrot also addressed France’s position on Venezuela, rejecting criticism that Paris had reacted weakly to recent developments and stressing that France had issued one of the strongest statements on the crisis.
He said France had made its position clear by condemning the captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the methods used by his government.
“Nicolas Maduro is a ruthless dictator who has confiscated freedoms from his people and stolen their elections,” Barrot said.
“It said, in the same breath, that the method used violated international law, and it even went so far as to say that the multiplication of violations of international law by permanent members of the Security Council, whoever they may be, would have serious consequences for world security,” he said.
He reiterated that France had “clearly expressed its view of Nicolas Maduro and the method used, but we did not call it democratic."
