Politics

Aug 7, 2026 Carl Bildt

US President Donald Trump’s volatile and unpredictable security policies, particularly his desire to control Greenland, have put Iceland in a vulnerable position. This uncomfortable reality will likely be front of mind as voters decide whether to reopen membership negotiations with the European Union.

STOCKHOLM—In a volatile world, solitude is rarely comforting. That is the simple explanation behind Iceland’s August 29 referendum on whether to reopen its abandoned membership negotiations with the European Union. (Any final accession agreement would require a separate vote, after negotiations have been concluded.)