Denmark signals serious differences after U.S. talks concerning Greenland
Denmark’s foreign minister stated that deep differences remain with the United States over Greenland following discussions at the White House.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen said that his meeting on Wednesday with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was “open but constructive.”
However, he also said that US President Trump was insisting on “acquiring” Greenland, which was “completely unacceptable.” “We have made it very, very clear that this is not in [Denmark’s] interest,” he said.
Trump’s subsequent reiteration of his interest in buying the resource-rich island has alarmed allies across Europe and heightened tensions within NATO.
The hour-long meeting between the US, Denmark, and Greenland yielded no major breakthroughs, although all sides agreed to establish a high-level working group to discuss the future of the autonomous Danish territory.
Rasmussen said there were certain “red lines” that the US could not cross, and the working group would meet in the coming weeks to try to reach an agreement.
He said that Denmark and Greenland were open to the US establishing more military bases on the island. “It’s beneficial to start a dialogue at a high level,” he said.
Rasmussen also said there was “a kernel of truth” to Trump’s idea that security needed to be strengthened to counter Russian and Chinese interests in the Arctic. But he said the president’s claims about the presence of Russian and Chinese warships around Greenland were “not true.”
Despite being sparsely populated, Greenland’s location between North America and the Arctic makes it a strategic location for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring shipping in the region.
Trump has repeatedly stated that acquiring it is crucial for US national security. The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at Thule Air Base on the northwestern tip of Greenland, a facility the US has operated since World War II.
Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the right to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland.
Following talks on Wednesday, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said the territory was open to greater cooperation with the US, but she also rejected the idea of an acquisition.
“We have shown where our limits are,” Motzfeldt said. Vance and Rubio did not immediately comment after the meeting. Meanwhile, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “We need Greenland for national security.”
He added, “The problem is, if Russia or China wanted to take over Greenland, Denmark couldn’t do anything about it, but we could do everything.” He also said he didn’t think the US could rely on Denmark to defend the island.
The talks come as European allies show increasing support for Greenland. Sweden pledged on Wednesday to send troops to the territory at Denmark’s request.
Germany said in a statement that it would send a “reconnaissance team” to Greenland to assess the general situation for possible military assistance to help Denmark “ensure security in the region.”
Speaking in Sweden on Wednesday evening, UK Defence Secretary John Healy said that following Denmark’s request, the UK would send a military officer as part of a reconnaissance team.
The French foreign minister said the country planned to open a consulate on the island next month. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would also take part in the reconnaissance team and that a “French military team” was already en route to Greenland.
Denmark said its military expansion in Greenland would be “in close cooperation with friends.” “Geopolitical tensions have spilled over into the Arctic,” it said in a statement.
The White House talks were the latest round of diplomatic discussions about Trump’s growing interest in the region.
The president’s move to seize the island It is not clear whether he is considering using military force to do so, and he again denied this when asked on Wednesday.
Reports suggest that other options include buying the territory, although neither the Danes nor the Greenlanders have said it is for sale.
Since taking office, Vance has criticized Denmark’s handling of Greenland. The vice president visited shortly after taking office.
Trump has said that control of the territory is important for his planned missile defense system, Golden Dome.
“It is important for the Golden Dome that we are building,” Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday morning. “NATO should show us the way to achieve this.”
Public opinion polls show that a majority of Greenlanders oppose U.S. control.
A majority of Americans also oppose U.S. control of Greenland. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed that only 17% of Americans support U.S. annexation of Greenland, while 47% said they oppose Trump’s attempt to seize the island.
The new talks on Greenland come after US military action in Venezuela and strikes against ISIS targets in Syria. Trump has also threatened military action to stop Iran’s crackdown on the growing protest movement in the country.
