Denmark’s prime minister goes to Greenland in show of support amid Trump crisis
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited Greenland on Friday in a show of support for the Arctic island that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to annex.
Walking off her plane at the airport in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, Frederiksen was greeted by Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. The two were seen embracing on the tarmac before driving away.
Frederiksen flew straight to Nuuk from Brussels after meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte earlier in the day to discuss how the military alliance can boost security in the wider Arctic region.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Danish kingdom.
The two governments say the island is not for sale and its sovereignty is not up for discussion, but they are open to talks on other Γüátopics, such as security and economic development.
“We are preparing the next steps,” Frederiksen told reporters while walking alongside ΓüáNielsen in central Nuuk. “I’m first and foremost here to show our strong support for Greenland’s people as a difficult time.”
Hope for new Arctic deal
Trump said on Thursday he had secured total and permanent U.S. access to Greenland after talks with Rutte, who said allies would have to step up efforts to ward off threats from Russia and China. The U.S. military is already permitted wide access to Greenland under treaties, although Washington has scaled back its presence there since the Cold War to a single small base.
The island’s future has prompted a crisis in transatlantic relations after Trump demanded Greenland become U.S. territory, refused to rule out military force to obtain it and announced new tariffs on European countries that objected.
The crisis subsided after he lifted the threat to use force on Wednesday and withdrew the proposed tariffs on Thursday.
“We agree that NATO must increase its engagement in the Arctic. Defense and security in the Arctic is a matter for the entire alliance,” Frederiksen said in a social media post, along with a photo of herself and Rutte in Brussels.
Rutte said he was working with the Danish leader to enhance deterrence and defense.
Need to ‘take the drama out of this,’ Danish FM
Denmark’s foreign minister said on Friday that diplomats from Denmark and the United States had met in Washington on Thursday, establishing a plan for how to proceed.
“We will not communicate when those (future) meetings are, because what is needed now is to take the drama out of this… we need a calm process,” Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.
A source familiar with the matter said Rutte and Trump had agreed on further talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland on updating a 1951 agreement that governs U.S. military access and presence on the Arctic island.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Analysis: By suddenly declaring a deal on Greenland, Trump demolished his case for owning it, CBC News
Denmark: EU chief promises ‘unflinching’ response to new tariffs as Trump trolls and threatens on social media, Reuters
Finland: Greenland clash left a mark on EU-US relations says Finnish PM, Yle News
Greenland: New Italy Arctic policy adds U.S. Greenland ambitions to growing Arctic competition narrative, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: NATO chief to Arctic Allies: “We’re all frontline states now,” as Iceland’s role grows, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: “We want to be Europe’s most integrated region in terms of defence”, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia claims first-ever North Pole aerial refuelling, TASS reports, Reuters
Sweden: Swedish military intelligence on the great power rivalry over Greenland, Radio Sweden
United States: Trump touts ‘total access’ Greenland deal as NATO asks allies to step up, Reuters
