Greenland’s prime minister says the Arctic island wants to stay in the Kingdom of Denmark, rejecting President Donald Trump’s push for U.S. control as Danish and Greenlandic ministers prepare to meet U.S. leaders in Washington.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Tuesday that his government would rather remain part of Denmark than become a territory of the United States, as President Donald Trump renews calls for Washington to take control of the vast Arctic island.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Nielsen said Greenland was not for sale and did not want to join the U.S. "We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the U.S. and Denmark here and now then we choose Denmark," he said. "We stand united in the Kingdom of Denmark."
The comments came ahead of a planned meeting on Wednesday at the White House, where Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, are set to meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rasmussen said Vance would host the talks, adding Denmark sought to move the dispute into direct discussions "where we can look each other in the eye and talk about these things".
In London, Greenlandic cabinet minister Naaja Nathanielsen said the rhetoric about Greenland had left many residents feeling "betrayed" and "bewildered". "I think we should be able to have a say ourselves in the future of our lives. For others, this might be a piece of land, but for us, it’s home," she said.
Greenland has been moving gradually towards greater self-rule since 1979, and independence remains a long-term aim across the island’s political spectrum. Nathanielsen said there was no rush, describing Greenland as an American ally while stressing that it did not see its future as part of the United States. "We are quite happy with being part of the Kingdom of Denmark," she said.
Trump has argued Greenland is vital to U.S. security, citing concerns about Russia and China and the island’s strategic location and mineral resources. White House officials have discussed multiple options to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including potential use of the U.S. military and lump-sum payments to Greenlanders as part of an effort to persuade the territory to break from Denmark, according to the report.
Frederiksen acknowledged the strain the dispute is placing on relations with Washington. She described it as difficult to stand up to the U.S., Denmark’s most important ally for decades and a fellow NATO member, and warned "the hardest part is now ahead of us".
Denmark is also preparing to expand its military footprint in Greenland. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said Denmark planned a larger presence on the island, with other NATO countries taking part in exercises and training in 2026. Poulsen added he would meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels next week to discuss Arctic security, alongside Greenland’s Motzfeldt.
Three people were injured after a gunman opened fire and held students and teachers hostage at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on We...
This week's Washington meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump is not routine, says geopolitical analyst Ilan Scialo...
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a new strategic partnership agreement in Baku on Tuesday, expanding cooperation on defence, energy security, a...
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due in Türkiye on Wednesday (11 February) for talks with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the two NATO allies...
Uzbekistan is combining renewable energy expansion with sweeping land restoration, installing solar stations in local communities while rehabilitating...
“This is a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe” French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Wednesday, 28 January, as he hosted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s premier, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, in Paris to reaffirm France’s support for Greenland’s sovereignty.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from tariff threats and ruled out using force to take control of the territory.
President Donald Trump has intensified his push for the United States to gain control or have a formal role in Greenland, calling the island vital for national security and asserting that Washington, D.C. must act to prevent strategic advances by Russia or China.
In a move reinforcing the "Fortress America" doctrine that has rattled global markets, the United States plans to reduce personnel within critical NATO command centres.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
Convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions before Congress, while her lawyer said she could clear President Donald Trump of wrongdoing if granted clemency.
This week's Washington meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump is not routine, says geopolitical analyst Ilan Scialom, calling it a “high-stakes preventive diplomatic strike” to secure Israel’s strategic priorities ahead of potential Iran talks.
Three people were injured after a gunman opened fire and held students and teachers hostage at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on Wednesday, police said.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Kyiv is preparing to outline a simultaneous return to the ballot box and a public vote on a potential peace settlement, the Financial Times reports. It would mark a pivotal shift in the country's political landscape on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment