Iceland eyes hookup with European Union after Trump’s grab for Greenland

Iceland will vote on restarting negotiations to join the European Union - The Washington Post

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Trump’s grab for Greenland rattles Iceland, which considers joining E.U.

Rising prices and security concerns have rekindled Iceland’s interest in joining the E.U., but a major push has been President Donald Trump’s threat to annex an Arctic neighbor.

August 28, 2026 at 8:27 a.m. EDT

Today at 8:27 a.m. EDT

8 min

*People with Icelandic flags attend a "Forward, Iceland" rally, opposing the resumption of European Union accession talks in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Thursday. (Marco Di Marco/AP Photo/Marco Di Marco)*

By

Ellen Francis

and

Beatriz Ríos

BRUSSELS ― Rattled by President Donald Trump’s territorial claims in the Arctic, the people of Iceland will vote Saturday on whether to restart talks on joining the European Union.

Iceland quit its E.U. bid more than a decade ago, after years of negotiations collapsed over fishing restrictions. Several factors, including rising prices and security concerns, have rekindled Icelandic interest in joining the bloc of 27 nations.

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What readers are saying

The comments express concern and criticism over the current U.S. administration under President Trump, highlighting fears of diminished global respect and trust. Commenters discuss the potential for countries like Iceland and Canada to seek alliances outside of U.S. influence,... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

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