Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen repeated on Monday that Greenland is “not on the market,” however she remained open to bolstering the American “footprint” on the Arctic island.
As European Union leaders convened for a gathering in Brussels, Frederiksen addressed President Donald Trump’s prospect of buying management of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, a U.S. ally, by navy or financial power.
“I believe we now have been very clear from the Kingdom of Denmark, with nice help from the European companions and the European Union, that everyone has to respect the sovereignty of all nationwide states on the planet, and that Greenland is as we speak part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it is part of our territory, and it isn’t on the market,” Frederiksen informed reporters, talking in English. “The chairman, the chief of Greenland, has been very clear that they don’t seem to be on the market.”
Frederiksen signaled that Denmark would welcome Trump sending extra troops to Greenland, the place the U.S. Area Pressure already has a base to observe missile threats.
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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen talks to media earlier than a casual EU leaders’ retreat on Feb. 3, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Photographs)
“I completely agree with the Individuals that the Excessive North, that the Arctic area is turning into an increasing number of essential once we are speaking about protection and safety and deterrence,” Frederiksen mentioned, as China and Russia have each been more and more energetic within the area. “And it’s doable to discover a means to make sure stronger footprints in Greenland. They [the U.S.] are already there, and so they can have extra prospects. And on the identical time, we’re prepared to scale up from the Kingdom of Denmark. And I believe NATO is similar. So if that is about securing our a part of the world, we will discover a means ahead.”
Frederiksen additionally responded to Trump’s menace of implementing tariffs on imports from the European Union. The Danish chief mentioned EU members “are prepared to assist one another and to stay collectively, and I’ll by no means help the concept of combating allies, however after all, if the U.S. places robust tariffs on Europe, we want a collective and strong response.”
Final week, her authorities introduced a almost $2 billion settlement with events, together with the governments of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, to “enhance capabilities for surveillance and sustaining sovereignty within the area.” It could embody three new Arctic naval vessels, two extra long-range surveillance drones and satellite tv for pc capability, the Danish Protection Ministry mentioned.
In the meantime, European Council President Antonio Costa, noting that the EU has stood beside Ukraine in protection of its borders, mentioned of Greenland on Monday: “In fact, we are going to stand additionally for these ideas, all of the extra so if the territorial integrity of a member state of the European Union is questioned.”
Trump has mentioned the USA wants management of Greenland, in addition to the Panama Canal, for “nationwide safety functions.” Whereas Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama this week, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino pledged to finish his nation’s key Belts and Highway challenge settlement with China. Trump had lamented Beijing’s elevated management of the strategic waterway, constructed by the USA, connecting the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
The Pituffik Area Base, previously Thule Air Base, with the domes of the Thule Monitoring Station, in northern Greenland on Oct. 4, 2023. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP through Getty Photographs)
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In Brussels on Monday, Frederiksen additionally reacted to Vice President JD Vance just lately asserting that Denmark has “not been a superb ally.” In an interview with Fox Information on Sunday, Vance repeated that Greenland is “actually essential to our nationwide safety,” as China and Russia more and more traverse sea lanes close to the island, and “frankly, Denmark, which controls Greenland, it isn’t doing its job, and it isn’t being a superb ally.”
“It’s important to ask your self, how are we going to resolve that downside, clear up our personal nationwide safety if that signifies that we have to take extra territorial pursuits in Greenland? That’s what President Trump goes to do, as a result of he does not care about what the Europeans scream at us. He cares about placing the pursuits of America’s residents first,” Vance mentioned, including, “You have acquired most likely 55,000 individuals dwelling on Greenland who should not truly pleased with Danish authorities. They have nice pure sources there. They have an extremely bountiful nation that the Danes aren’t letting them develop and discover. In fact, Donald Trump would take a distinct strategy if he was the chief of Greenland.”
Talking in Danish, Frederiksen informed reporters that Danes “have fought aspect by aspect with the Individuals for a lot of, many a long time,” in response to experiences and a web-based translation.
Prime Minister Frederiksen signaled that Denmark would welcome Trump sending extra troops to Greenland, the place the U.S. Area Pressure has a base to observe missile threats. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP through Getty Photographs)
“We’re one of many United States’ most essential and strongest allies – and I can’t settle for the notion that Denmark is a foul ally. We’re not, we by no means have been, and we by no means will probably be sooner or later. The Arctic Cooperation is essential. It’s one thing we’re prepared to prioritize,” Frederiksen mentioned, arguing that it could align with the pursuits of Denmark, the U.S. and NATO.
“It’s smart, however additionally it is essential that we work collectively towards terrorism, towards the destabilization we see within the Baltic Sea proper now with sabotage, and it’s important that we work collectively on NATO’s Jap flank and thereby holding agency in relation to Russia,” she added, turning to the Ukraine struggle. “So we’d have the ability to work collectively in some ways, however I don’t wish to be sitting on Denmark’s identify and remuneration that we must be a foul ally, as a result of we’re not.”
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Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland’s capital Nuuk, to satisfy with locals final month, weeks earlier than his father took workplace.
Trump’s 10% tariffs on Chinese language imports into the U.S. took impact this week, because the administration goals to carry Beijing accountable for precursor chemical substances mentioned to be fueling the fentanyl disaster. He agreed to droop a 25% extra tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, and an extra 10% tax on power imported from Canada, together with oil, pure fuel and electrical energy, by 30 days after each international locations agreed to ship extra troops to their borders with the U.S., amongst different stipulations.
The Related Press contributed to this report.