Greenland’s party leaders reject Trump’s takeover proposal

Greenland’s political leaders have firmly rebuffed President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions that the United States should assume control of the island, asserting that the territory’s future must be determined by its own people.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, along with four party leaders, stated in a joint declaration, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland, a semiautonomous region within the Kingdom of Denmark and a strategic NATO ally, describing the potential transaction as something he would prefer to accomplish “the easy way.” He warned that if the US did not assert control, “Russia or China will take it over, and the US does not want them as neighbors.”

“If we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” Trump added, offering no specifics about what such a scenario might entail. The White House has indicated that a range of options, including military measures, is under consideration.

In response, Greenland’s party leaders emphasized the principle of self-determination. “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people,” their statement said.

“As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasize once again our wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends,” they added.

Representatives from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States convened in Washington on January 8 to discuss the White House’s renewed overtures, with further meetings scheduled for next week.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cautioned that any American takeover of Greenland could signal the collapse of NATO. Greenland’s leaders reiterated that discussions concerning the island’s future “take place in dialogue with the Greenlandic people and are prepared on the basis of international laws.”

“No other country can interfere in this,” the statement continued. “We must decide the future of our country ourselves, without pressure for quick decision, delay or interference from other countries.”

Though Greenland is the world’s largest island, its population numbers only about 57,000, and it lacks an independent military, with defence responsibilities handled by Denmark. The potential implications for NATO remain uncertain, including whether member states would respond if the US sought to seize control by force.

By Vafa Guliyeva