Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rebukes the latest remarks on Greenland very directly, saying it is “not for sale.”
As Frederiksen arrives for a European Union summit at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, she said,
“We have been very clear … that everybody has to respect the sovereignty of all the national states in the world and that Greenland is today a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and it’s not for sale. The leader of Greenland has been very clear they are not for sale.”
How does Denmark view the U.S. interest in Greenland?
The Danish Prime Minister stated that she agrees with the US on the significance of Greenland for international security, but there are other ways of fixing this issue.
“I totally agree with the Americans that … the Artic region is becoming more and more important … and it is possible to find a way to ensure a stronger footprint in Greenland. They are already there, and they can have more possibilities, and we are willing to scale up, and NATO is the same.
If this is about securing our part of the world, we can find a way forward.”
How does Denmark plan to strengthen European defence cooperation?
Mette Frederiksen further repeated her strong support for Ukraine as she stated
“I don’t think we should panic, but I think we are in a hurry” to strengthen European defence. We need to change our mindsets, we need a sense of urgency, and we need to ensure that our industries and political cooperation work in a smoother way.”
How does Trump assert his interest in Greenland?
On the other hand, this time around, Donald Trump has interested himself once again in Greenland. However, he perceives it to be absolutely fundamental to the national security of the United States. He has pointed out that Greenland needs to be owned because ownership of the island is critical to the U.S. for national security purposes, given that it holds strategic and resource significance, including rare earth minerals.
Trump asserted that the U.S. “needs” Greenland for economic security and has earlier indicated that its acquisition is necessary as Russia and China are competing for control over the Arctic region.