Greenland’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has said the Arctic territory will never be a “piece of property” to be bought as he made his first trip to Denmark since his election.
Nielsen criticized President Donald Trump’s comments on seizing the Danish autonomous territory as lacking respect but said he would be willing to meet the US leader for talks.
“We are ready for a strong partnership (with the US) and more development, but we want respect … We will never be a piece of property that can be bought by anyone,” Nielsen told reporters as he stood alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Nielsen’s three-day visit to Denmark follows one by Frederiksen to Greenland in early April, when she told the US: “You cannot annex another country.”
The second meeting in a matter of weeks was described as a display of unity between the mineral-rich island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and Denmark.
“We are in a foreign policy situation which means we have to move closer together,” Nielsen added.
Nielsen will also meet Denmark’s King Frederik and representatives of the Danish parliament during the remainder of his trip, with Denmark’s Royal House saying in a statement that the king would then accompany Nielsen back to Greenland for a visit to the Arctic Island.
Both of the leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only Greenlanders can decide the territory’s future.
However, both countries have been attempting to tread a delicate line between dismissing the US’ ambitions of annexing Greenland while also trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.
The US president has insisted Washington needs control of Greenland for security reasons, refusing to rule out the use of force to secure it.
On Thursday, Trump told reporters during a press conference alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, that Greenland was “important for international peace.”
“I think we need that for international peace, and if we don’t have that it’s a big threat to our world,” he said.
In March, US Vice President JD Vance paid a visit to Greenland, which both Nuuk and Copenhagen viewed as a provocation.
During his trip to the Pituffik US military base, Vance castigated Denmark for not having “done a good job by the people of Greenland.”
On Sunday, Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to invest more in Greenland and to support Greenland financially as it takes over more responsibility of domestic affairs from Copenhagen.
The move would be part of what the Danish Prime Minister called a “modernisation” of the two countries relationship.
Denmark has also called for increased Arctic defence collaboration with the US, and both Nielsen and Frederiksen added they were committed to strengthening defence in the region. – DW.
