Stellan Skarsgård Shares His Thoughts on Trump’s Greenland Requests: “This Is Just Absurd” – European Film Awards

Stellan Skarsgård Comments on U.S.-Europe Tensions Over Greenland

Berlin – Stellan Skarsgård has weighed in on the escalating tensions between Donald Trump and European leaders over the U.S. president’s controversial proposal to acquire Greenland from Denmark. The Swedish actor made his remarks during a press conference at the European Film Awards in Berlin, where he received the Best Actor award for his performance in Sentimental Value.

Addressing questions from reporters, Skarsgård displayed his trademark candidness. "You want us to comment on what’s happening in Greenland?" he began, before launching into a forthright critique. "It’s absurd, isn’t it? It’s a little man who got megalomania, and he’s trying to take the world. He took Venezuela, suddenly, and that’s for Chevron. He’ll take Greenland for minerals. He’s a criminal," Skarsgård stated, highlighting the geopolitical implications of Trump’s actions. The actor recently won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.

Skarsgård’s comments seem to reflect growing international concern over U.S. energy interests, particularly amid reports that the U.S. is seeking to expand Chevron’s oil production capabilities in Venezuela following a military operation that ousted President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump has justified his interest in Greenland by claiming it is essential for U.S. security, particularly amid concerns that China and Russia might also seek influence over the territory, which is home to approximately 57,000 Indigenous Inuit people. Critics argue that Trump’s focus on Greenland is motivated more by the desire to access its untapped mineral resources than by national security issues.

Tensions escalated further on Saturday evening as Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Denmark and several other European nations if an agreement to acquire Greenland was not reached. This prompted strong responses from Denmark and its allies, who branded the tariff threats as “unacceptable” and likened them to “blackmail.” In light of the situation, the European Union scheduled an emergency meeting for Sunday.

Historically, Denmark and Norway have had ties to Greenland for over a millennium, with both nations settling in the territory, which Denmark officially integrated into the Danish state in 1953. In recent years, Denmark has worked to address its colonial legacy in Greenland, granting the local population increased autonomy through the Self-Government Act of 2008.

Current sentiment among Greenlanders appears to reject any notion of U.S. annexation, as protests erupted in both Greenland and Denmark in response to Trump’s ambitions.

Joachim Trier, the director of Sentimental Value, offered a more tempered view during the press conference. "Sitting in Europe today, I think what we’ve learned from history is that the idea of appropriation of other countries and the idea of colonialization is something that we suffer through guilt for in Europe," he said. Trier emphasized Denmark’s significant efforts to amend past wrongs regarding Greenland, asserting, "Denmark has come a long way in apologizing and trying to make good for their appropriation of Greenland in the past." He reinforced the need for respect for international law, warning of the potential consequences if such laws were undermined.

The backdrop of the awards ceremony was further complicated by rising international tensions, driven by Trump’s military and economic posturing, as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Earlier in the evening, Trier used his acceptance speech to underscore the unifying power of cinema: "I think we’re at a core moment when we all have to take into account that the other is not our enemy, and that art can help us, at best, create empathy in the darkness."

Notably, Liv Ullmann, a celebrated Norwegian actress, also used her acceptance speech for a Lifetime Achievement Award to express her views on Trump, calling into question Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s recent move to award him a Nobel Peace Prize.

As these developments unfold, the implications for transatlantic relations remain uncertain, amid a climate of increasing nationalism and political polarization.