Danish PM reaches out to Trump over Greenland comments seeks discussion

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has stated that following US President-elect Donald Trump’s comments on Greenland, she reached out to him and suggested discussing the situation.

Frederiksen convened a meeting with parliamentary faction leaders to update them on how the government is handling the matter, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

She clarified that her administration had contacted Trump, but they have yet to have a conversation.

“We offered to talk... I don’t believe anything significant will happen until the president-elect takes office,” the prime minister emphasised. She also expressed skepticism that Trump would attempt to seize Greenland by force.

Trump, who is set to take office on January 20, raised concerns when he did not dismiss the possibility of military action to bring the Panama Canal and Greenland under US control. While Denmark has expressed a willingness to discuss US interests in the Arctic, the Danish Prime Minister has firmly stated that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders." 

European leaders have also reaffirmed their support for the sovereignty of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Meanwhile, Russia has expressed concerns about maintaining peace and stability in the region. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also dismissed the speculation that the United States might use force to take Greenland. 

"I feel like I can rule out that the United States in the coming years will try to forcefully annex territories that interest them," Meloni said at a press conference in Rome. 

She added that Trump's remarks were "more of a message to... other big global players." Rivalry between the United States, China, and Russia is intensifying in the Arctic, as melting ice due to climate change is opening new shipping lanes. 

In addition to its strategic location, Greenland—currently seeking independence from Denmark—holds vast untapped mineral and oil reserves, though exploration of oil and uranium is prohibited. The United States also maintains a military base in northwest Greenland. Trump first expressed interest in buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term as president, an offer that was swiftly rejected by Greenland and Denmark.

By Naila Huseynova