In brief
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has declared that the people of Greenland would choose Denmark over the United States if faced with that decision today. This declaration comes in response to US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposals regarding annexing Greenland, which he claims is vital for US security against perceived threats from Russia and China. Nielsen emphasized Greenland’s desire for self-governance and friendship with Denmark during a press conference with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who condemned the pressure from their ally, the US.
Greenland's prime minister has said his people would choose Denmark over the US if they were asked to make such a choice 'here and now.'
Jens-Frederik Nielsen's remark at a joint news conference with Denmark's prime minister is the strongest by a representative of the semi-autonomous Danish territory since US President Donald Trump renewed his plan to annex it.
Trump says the US needs to 'own' Greenland to defend against Russia and China. The White House has suggested buying the island, but not ruled out the use of force to annex it.
Denmark is a fellow Nato member and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that military force would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.
Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it well-placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was 'covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.'
The US already has more than 100 military personnel stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland, operational since World War Two.
Frederiksen condemned the 'completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally' and stressed that Greenland must remain under Danish sovereignty. Nielsen, supporting her stance, made it clear: 'One thing must be clear to everyone. Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.'
The Copenhagen press conference came ahead of several high-level meetings between Danish and American officials concerning the future of Greenland and its resources, amid increasing geopolitical tensions.
