Greenland’s prime minister on Sunday called for improve ties with Denmark after having talks with the United States that he described as “not respectful.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House and U.S. State Department by email and submission form, respectively, outside of normal business hours on Sunday afternoon for comment.
Why It Matters
Greenland is an autonomous territory owned by Denmark, with citizens of Greenland also considered citizens of Denmark and the European Union (EU). President Donald Trump has said that the U.S. needs to own Greenland to cover a number of global security concerns related to China and Russia and the Arctic Circle.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has repeatedly said that “the United States will not get Greenland,” stressing: “We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.”
Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha recently visited Greenland, which Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized as placing “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and Denmark. Vance during his visit criticized Denmark for not having “done a good job by the people of Greenland.”
Greenland also has healthy reserves of minerals, making it of great interest to the U.S., along with Ukraine’s mineral reserves, which the U.S. has targeted as a precondition to a peace deal with Russia in its ongoing war.
What To Know
Nielsen spoke Sunday alongside his Danish counterpart to address reporters during his three-day visit to Denmark.
Nielsen used the moment to address talks with the U.S., which he said had “not been respectful,” explaining: “The words use have not been respectful. That’s why we need in this situation, we need to stand together,” referring to stronger ties between Greenland and Denmark.
“It is important that we make plans for our future cooperation in these times,” Nielsen said.
The remarks follow a decision from political parties in Greenland to form a broad-based coalition that will resist Trump’s ambitions for the territory.
“Denmark has the will to invest in the Greenlandic society, and we don’t just have that for historical reasons. We also have that because we are part of (the Danish) commonwealth with each other,” Frederiksen said. “We of course have a will to also continue investing in the Greenlandic society.”
Frederiksen told reporters that Denmark will “always want to meet with the American president,” but stressed that her country “have been very, very clear in what is the (Danish commonwealth’s) approach to all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
In addition to Greenland, Denmark controls the Faroe Islands, with all three forming the total Kingdom of Denmark.
Meanwhile, in a poll conducted between January 22 and 26 by Verian for Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaqt, 85 percent of respondents said they do not support joining the U.S., while only 6 percent said they would back such a move and 9 percent said they were undecided.
The poll, which surveyed 497 Greenlanders, revealed 45 percent of respondents said they view Trump’s interest in their territory as a threat, while only 8 percent would accept a U.S. passport if given the choice between American and Danish citizenship.
However, most Greenlanders are also in favor of independence from Denmark, something Trump seems to be trying to leverage. He said in a speech on March 5: “We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump during a press conference alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre last week said: “I think we need that for international peace, and if we don’t have that it’s a big threat to our world. So I think Greenland is very important for international peace.”
Vice President JD Vance during his visit to Greenland said: “We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways and Arctic naval routes and indeed in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know that if America doesn’t other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind.”
What Happens Next?
Nielsen will visit Danish King Frederik X on Monday before returning to Greenland with Frederiksen to tour the territory.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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