Following a contentious meeting involving Denmark, the US, and Iceland, Greenland issued a stern warning to the American leader, asserting, “you cannot own us.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the US acquiring Greenland is “absolutely not necessary” after the tense diplomatic discussions. The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers held talks with US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the future of the Arctic island.
Rasmussen noted that there seems to be a desire from Trump to “conquer” Greenland but mentioned that the meeting may have influenced a shift in the American stance, as reported by the Express. He emphasized that Greenland’s interests were made crystal clear during the discussions.
Despite the “frank” White House discussions, a “fundamental disagreement” persisted, according to the Danish foreign minister. Denmark announced plans to strengthen its military presence in Greenland starting immediately, as confirmed by the country’s defense ministry before the talks in Washington DC.
Following the meeting with JD Vance and Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt addressed the media in a joint news conference. Rasmussen reiterated that there is no urgency for the US to acquire the Arctic territory and emphasized that there is currently no immediate threat from Russia.
President Trump recently suggested the possibility of the US annexing Greenland in a short period. Thomas Dans, Trump’s Arctic commissioner, indicated the President’s intention to expedite the process, describing it as a high-speed endeavor with the potential to skip intermediary steps.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s energy minister Naaja Nathanielsen expressed concerns at a press briefing, stating that US military intervention would signify a disregard for the rule of law and would compel Western allies to navigate a new global order.
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