Iceland is located in Europe but is not a member of the European Union. For a long time, there was nothing wrong with this state of affairs for Iceland. The country has vigorously defended its independence and maintained firm control over its own fisheries. But now things have changed. In recent months, as President Trump has repeatedly threatened to "take over" Iceland's neighboring Greenland, the Nordic island nation has felt that the situation is very precarious. About 400,000 people across the country have also begun to seriously discuss a once unimaginable question: Is it time for Iceland to apply to join the European Union?
Icelandic Prime Minister Kristöln Frostadóttir said in an interview at his office in Reykjavik, the capital, in February this year: "The situation in Greenland has undoubtedly stung all walks of life in Iceland."
She said foreign policy is now increasingly valued by voters: the tide has really turned.
Iceland will hold a referendum as early as this summer to decide whether to start negotiations on intention to join the European Union. The EU accession process may take several years, but the intense domestic discussion on this matter itself means that the wind direction has actually changed.
Of course, the EU does not reject everyone. Iceland would be a very attractive franchise target.
Iceland is located at the far end of the North Atlantic, guarding the gateway to the Arctic. It would provide the EU with an important foothold in the Arctic, where major powers are vying for dominance.
In addition, Iceland is economically prosperous, and its performance in indicators such as gender equality and average life expectancy is even better than that of the European Union as a whole.
For the Icelandic people, the main attraction of joining the EU is the search for stability.
Many Icelanders were surprised when Trump confused Iceland with Greenland. There are reports that the new US ambassador to Reykjavik, Billy Long, once teased that Iceland could become the 52nd state of the United States. This remark also greatly dissatisfied the Icelandic people. Billy Long quickly apologized.
Most people believe that Trump will not directly threaten Iceland. But Iceland is the only country among NATO members that does not have a regular army, and the country has long relied on NATO, especially the United States, for its defense.
Now that the reliability of the United States as an ally has declined, some Icelandic people believe that they need additional protection. Although the EU is not a military alliance, there is a little-known clause in its charter that can be used for collective defense. In March this year, the EU and Iceland signed a defense partnership agreement.
Ericul Bergman, a professor of political science at the University of Bifrost in Iceland, said: "People feel that they may be forced to choose a side, but now there is actually only one choice left."
The matter may ultimately come down to the fishery.
In recent years, Icelandic people have watched with great concern as Ireland, also a member of the European Union, has suffered from cuts in fishing quotas, which has severely damaged the economy of local coastal villages and towns. Fishing accounts for a much larger share of Iceland's economy than Ireland's.
There are signs that the EU may be willing to make concessions on fishing quotas if Iceland can join the bloc, giving some Icelanders hope.