For the boss of a military alliance dedicated to mutual security, NATO chief Mark Rutte seemed unperturbed by one member's recent threats to annex allied territory.

On his first official visit to the European Parliament on Monday, Rutte was quizzed by lawmakers on everything from ammunition standards to suspected Russian sabotage at sea. But it was the awkward situation within the alliance which really got parliamentarians talking, after US President-elect Donald Trump's recent overtures toward Greenland — and his refusal to rule out using force to take the Arctic island.

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Faced with multiple questions about the autonomous Danish territory, Rutte danced around the issue.

"The new incoming [US] administration will start next Monday. We have seen some press conferences, some things being said by some people in the US, but I would say let's take this forward starting from next Monday," he told lawmakers.

"Trump has been right many times," Rutte said later in his remarks. "We need to dialogue with him and I like very much the reaction of Mette........

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