Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen attends a press convention in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday. Reuters-Yonhap
COPENHAGEN — Greenland’s prime minister mentioned on Tuesday his nation would slightly stay a part of Denmark than change into a territory of america, amid President Donald Trump’s push to take management of the sprawling Arctic island.
The Danish and Greenlandic overseas ministers will meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday after Trump not too long ago stepped up threats to take over Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
However Greenland is just not on the market and doesn’t need to be a part of the U.S., the island’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen instructed a joint press convention in Copenhagen with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“We face a geopolitical disaster, and if we have now to decide on between the U.S. and Denmark right here and now then we select Denmark,” Nielsen mentioned. “We stand united within the Kingdom of Denmark.”
‘For us, it is dwelling’
Folks in Greenland don’t need to change into People, and are feeling betrayed and bewildered by the rhetoric used about their island, cupboard minister Naaja Nathanielsen instructed reporters in London.
“I feel we should always be capable to have a say ourselves in the way forward for our lives. For others, this is likely to be a bit of land, however for us, it is dwelling,” mentioned Nathanielsen, whose portfolio contains enterprise, power and minerals.
Whereas Denmark has dominated Greenland for hundreds of years, the territory has steadily been transferring in direction of independence since 1979, a objective shared by all political events elected to the island’s parliament.
However Nathanielsen mentioned there was no rush in direction of claiming independence. “We’re an American ally, however we don’t see ourselves as turning into People. We’re fairly pleased with being half of the Kingdom of Denmark,” she mentioned.
Trump has mentioned Greenland is significant to U.S. safety and america should personal it to stop Russia or China occupying the strategically positioned and minerals-rich territory sooner or later.
White Home officers have been discussing varied plans to deliver Greenland beneath U.S. management, together with potential use of the U.S. navy and lump-sum funds to Greenlanders as a part of a bid to persuade them to secede from Denmark.
Danish Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, had requested a gathering with Rubio after Trump’s threats.
“U.S. Vice President JD Vance additionally wished to take part within the assembly, and he’ll host the assembly, which is able to due to this fact be held on the White Home,” Rasmussen instructed reporters in Copenhagen earlier on Tuesday.
“Our cause for in search of the assembly we have now now been given was to maneuver this complete dialogue… into a gathering room the place we are able to look one another within the eye and speak about this stuff.”
‘The toughest half is forward”
Denmark’s prime minister mentioned it was tough to face as much as the U.S., a fellow NATO member and the nation’s most necessary ally for a lot of many years. “However a lot means that the toughest half is now forward of us,” Frederiksen instructed reporters.
Trump first floated the thought of a U.S. takeover of Greenland in 2019 throughout his first time period in workplace, though he faces opposition in Washington, together with from inside his personal occasion.
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen mentioned he would be a part of a gathering with NATO Secretary Normal Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday subsequent week to debate Arctic safety, together with Greenland’s Motzfeldt.
Denmark deliberate a bigger navy presence in Greenland, with different NATO nations collaborating in workout routines and coaching in 2026, the defence minister mentioned.
