U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Iceland on Tuesday at the start of a tour of European NATO members, saying Washington has no territorial ambitions toward Iceland while acknowledging Reykjavík’s concerns over security in the Arctic.
Rubio met Icelandic Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir at Höfði House in Reykjavík, the site of the 1986 summit between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which is widely regarded as a significant moment in the final years of the Cold War.
“This house symbolizes the role of diplomacy in ending the Cold War and defeating communism,” Rubio wrote on social media.
Rubio and Gunnarsdóttir sought to play down differences between the two allies, emphasizing their commitment to strengthening and expanding military and trade ties.
Rubio said the United States would not take any action in Iceland without the country’s consent.
“We are open to discussions about what we can do together,” he said, noting that the United States had maintained a permanent military presence in Iceland for decades before closing its Keflavík base near Reykjavík in 2006 as its strategic priorities changed.
According to Rubio, those priorities have since evolved again, particularly as Arctic security has gained greater importance.
“We have tremendous respect for the people of Iceland. We respect the country and the role it has played, and has played for a very long time,” Rubio said.
Icelandic concerns over U.S. intentions intensified after a map associated with President Donald Trump showed U.S. colors extending across North America and encompassing Iceland and Greenland.
The concerns persisted despite an agreement reached last month to increase the U.S. presence in Greenland, a Danish territory. The agreement appeared to ease Trump’s earlier demand for the United States to take full control of Greenland.
Gunnarsdóttir said the issue was now largely, if not entirely, resolved.
“We remain focused on the future,” she said.
Rubio’s European tour will also take him to Greece and Portugal as Washington seeks to discuss security cooperation and broader strategic priorities with NATO allies.
