Italy seeks NATO presence in Arctic amid Greenland tensions
Rome also claimed growing Russian and Chinese interest in the Arctic.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged NATO to develop "a coordinated presence" in the Arctic region to prevent tensions and respond to "interference by other actors", amid escalating tensions among Western allies over Greenland.
In a letter read during the presentation of an Italian government paper on the Arctic on Friday, Meloni said the region was becoming increasingly important due to the development of new sea routes and its huge "energy and mineral resources".
Italy has had observer status on the Arctic Council, which oversees the region, since 2013 and updated its policy amid recent US-Danish tensions over Greenland, which have sharpened the focus on the area.
"We are an observer country in the Arctic Council and have always upheld respect for international law, beginning with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," Meloni said.
Russia and China
The Italian policy document pointed to Russia's renewed focus on the Arctic, which included a build-up of its military presence there.
"This more assertive posture, combined with the clear demonstration of the violation of the principle of the inviolability of borders shown in Ukraine, first led NATO and subsequently the European Union to react," the document said.
Italy's document also flagged China's attempt to raise its Arctic profile as a self-declared "near-Arctic state", including growing interest in shipping along the Northern Sea Route and closer ties with Moscow that extend to military matters.
Russia said on Thursday that Western countries had produced no facts to support the argument that Moscow or Beijing threatened Greenland.
China urged the United States on Monday not to use other countries as an excuse to pursue its own interests.
US lawmakers in Copenhagen
Meanwhile, a delegation of US lawmakers arrived at the Industry House in central Copenhagen for a working lunch with Danish business leaders.
US Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said the delegation wanted to underline long-standing ties with both Denmark and Greenland, Danish news agency DR reported.
“We have been friends and allies with Denmark and Greenland for decades. We want them to know that we greatly appreciate that,” Durbin said.
He added that recent remarks by President Donald Trump “do not align with what the American people feel and believe.”