Greenlandic leaders have sharply criticized an upcoming visit by a high-profile American delegation to the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which President Donald Trump has suggested the U.S. should annex.
The trip, led by Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, and including White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, is set to include visits to a U.S. military base and a national dogsled race.
Greenland's outgoing prime minister, Mute Egede, called the visit a "provocation" and stated that his caretaker government would not meet with the delegation. "Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely. But that time is over," Egede said in an interview with the local newspaper Sermitsiaq.
The Greenlandic government, known as Naalakkersuisut, is currently in a caretaker period following a March 11 general election, where the pro-business Democrats won. The party advocates for a gradual approach to independence from Denmark. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats, expressed disappointment over the timing of the visit, which coincides with coalition talks and upcoming municipal elections. He said the visit shows "a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people."
The delegation’s itinerary includes visits to the Pituffik space base, a U.S. military installation in Greenland, where Waltz and Wright are expected to receive briefings from U.S. service members. The group will also attend a national dogsled race, which the White House stated the U.S. is proud to sponsor, and visit historical sites.
Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, defended the trip, emphasizing that the U.S. delegation aims to build on partnerships that respect Greenland’s self-determination and foster economic cooperation. "This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people, and to attend a dogsled race, plain and simple," Hughes stated.
Trump’s suggestion of annexing Greenland has been a recurring theme since he returned to office in January. The island’s strategic location and rich mineral resources, including its proximity to the U.S. ballistic missile warning system, have made it a point of interest. However, both Greenland and Denmark have strongly opposed the idea.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to the visit, expressing serious concerns. She affirmed that Denmark wants to cooperate with the U.S. but stressed that such cooperation must respect Greenland's sovereignty. "Dialogue with the U.S. regarding Greenland will take place in close coordination with the Danish government and the future Greenlandic government," Frederiksen said.
As tensions simmer over the future of Greenland’s political status, the U.S. visit has drawn attention to the complexities of international relations in the region.
Shanghai Enflame Technology, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence chipmakers and a domestic rival to Nvidia, surged more than 200 p...
Georgia’s top security official has held face-to-face talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart in China, with both sides pledging to deepen int...
Mexico and the U.S. are racing to secure a trade deal before the U.S. midterm elections in less than eight weeks, according to six sources familiar...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Shanghai Enflame Technology, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence chipmakers and a domestic rival to Nvidia, surged more than 200 per cent on its market debut on Friday, highlighting strong investor demand for homegrown semiconductor companies.
Mexico and the U.S. are racing to secure a trade deal before the U.S. midterm elections in less than eight weeks, according to six sources familiar with the talks, with failed negotiations between Washington and Canada adding urgency.
A Texas judge ruled on Thursday that TikTok violated the state's consumer protection law by misleading users about how the platform filtered content for minors and the effectiveness of its Restricted Mode feature.
Sweden's centre-left opposition holds a narrow lead over the ruling right-wing bloc ahead of Sunday's parliamentary election, leaving Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson well placed for a return as prime minister.
French public broadcaster France Télévisions has removed the replay of a programme in which actress Adèle Haenel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and France of complicity.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment