ISTANBUL 

Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Thursday that Madrid does not rule out taking part in a potential European military mission in Greenland, amid growing tensions over US President Donald Trump’s repeated statements about taking control of the Danish territory.

“Reinforcing surveillance in Greenland would be an option, for example, but we will see how things develop,” Robles said, according to Spanish news agency EFE.

She stressed that any such mission would be focused on “monitoring” and added that Spain would proceed with caution.

The UK, France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway have already announced plans to deploy troops to the autonomous Danish territory.

Earlier, Trump said any outcome short of US possession of the island would be “unacceptable.”

Robles reiterated Spain’s recognition of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, describing any US attempt to seize the island as “unacceptable” and “extremely serious.”

“It would be extremely serious if that were to happen, but we will be prudent in our decisions and respect the existing frameworks to see what solutions are adopted,” she said.

Robles also downplayed the possibility that such a scenario would lead to the collapse of NATO.

“I sincerely believe that annexation would be unacceptable and extremely serious, but I do not think we are in that situation,” she said.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that if any NATO member believes there are “new threats” surrounding Greenland, the issue could be discussed within the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s main decision-making body.

“There is no problem in discussing it within NATO and, if necessary, reinforcing security,” Albares said.

He added that the future of Greenland should be decided by its people, noting that Denmark has made clear its intention to remain part of the country, which is both an EU and NATO member.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about rising Russian and Chinese activity.

Denmark and Greenland have rejected proposals to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.

Several European countries are boosting their military presence in Greenland through exercises and reconnaissance missions, while US President Donald Trump has insisted the territory should be "in the hands of the US" to counter Russia and China.

After a White House meeting on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said their discussion had failed to change the American position.