Iceland is ‘critical outpost’ for security, Rubio says during visit

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Iceland's critical role as a security outpost during his visit to the country on Tuesday. His remarks come as the US seeks to expand its influence in the Arctic region, following President Donald Trump's attempts to buy or annex Greenland. A security agreement between the US, Denmark, and Greenland in September granted Washington the right to establish two new military bases in the autonomous Danish territory.

Rubio met with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristjana Þorsteinsdóttir and Foreign Minister Thorgerður Þorsteinsdóttir to discuss geothermal energy, data centers, and the pharmaceutical industry. Despite Iceland's heavy reliance on the US for security, the nation has no military and has never joined the EU. US President Trump's recent actions, including an AI-generated map depicting the US as "United States of America," have strained relations with Iceland, which summoned the US ambassador and denounced the image as "wholly inappropriate."

The EU has also criticized Trump's fixation on Greenland. Rubio will next travel to Athens to participate in a strategic dialogue with Greece on regional and energy security, as tensions in Iran and Ukraine have highlighted the vulnerability of energy supply chains. Greece aims to become a crucial hub for natural gas transport in southeastern Europe.