Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has firmly pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, declaring that the Arctic island “belongs to the Greenlanders.”
Speaking in Nuuk on Wednesday at the start of a three-day visit, Frederiksen said she was in Greenland to offer support during what she called a “very, very difficult situation.”
“The U.S. shall not take over Greenland. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,” she told reporters shortly after landing.
Her remarks followed a controversial visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who accused Denmark of failing to protect Greenland and suggested the U.S. could offer better security for the strategically important island.
Frederiksen’s visit comes as geopolitical interest in the Arctic region intensifies, with Washington increasing its focus on Greenland’s natural resources and military value.
“We need to discuss foreign and security policy, geopolitics, and how we approach this very, very difficult task together,” Frederiksen said, stressing unity and equality within the Danish realm.
She pledged to ensure equal rights for Greenlanders and Danes and committed to strengthening Copenhagen’s partnership with Greenland in the face of rising international pressure.
Greenland’s incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is set to take office on April 7, welcomed Frederiksen’s visit, calling Denmark “Greenland’s closest partner.”
Nielsen reaffirmed Greenland’s ultimate goal of sovereignty, telling Reuters:
“We will strengthen our ties with Denmark until we can fulfil our wish to become a sovereign nation.”
He added that Greenland seeks a “respectful” relationship with the U.S., but warned:
“Talking about annexation and not respecting our sovereignty is not respectful. Let’s start by respecting each other and build a partnership on that.”
Relations between Denmark and Greenland have been complicated by past revelations of colonial mistreatment, and Trump's interest in the island has reignited local concerns about foreign control.
Analyst Ulrik Pram Gad of the Danish Institute for International Studies said Frederiksen’s visit is a signal — both to Greenland and Washington.
“It’s important for Denmark to show it stands with Greenland — and to remind the U.S. of that too,” he said.
While a majority of Greenland’s 57,000 residents support eventual independence, many remain wary of rapid separation due to concerns over economic vulnerability and U.S. pressure.
U.S. has become a central outside power in the south caucasus, shaping diplomacy, security and energy flows. Its relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia...
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghc...
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark,...
A senior Russian military intelligence officer is recovering in hospital after being shot several times in Moscow, as investigators prepare to interro...
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution f...
U.S. has become a central outside power in the south caucasus, shaping diplomacy, security and energy flows. Its relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia have evolved from similar beginnings into two distinct partnerships that now define Washington’s role in the region.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Winter weather has brought air travel in the German capital to a complete halt, stranding thousands of passengers as severe icing conditions make runways and aircraft unsafe for operation and force authorities to shut down one of Europe’s key transport hubs.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
An attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Islamabad on Friday before detonating a suicide bomb that killed at least 31 people in the deadliest assault of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.
Alphabet is emerging as a frontrunner in the global artificial intelligence race, as analysts and executives say Google has overtaken OpenAI, marking a sharp reversal from a year ago when the company was widely seen as lagging.
Iran and the United States opened nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, with Tehran calling the meeting a good start and both sides agreeing to continue discussions after returning to their capitals for consultations.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by March, though the timeline is widely viewed as unrealistic due to deep disagreements over territory, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
At least 31 people have been killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, prompting widespread international condemnation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment