Greenland, Denmark affirm alliance amid Trump’s interest in US control

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Greenland, Denmark affirm alliance amid Trump’s interest in US control

Greenland on Sunday agreed with Denmark to boost their ties in response to US President Donald Trump’s interest in taking control of the strategically located Arctic island.

Leaders of the two countries said this at a joint press conference in Copenhagen.

Waploaded reports that Greenland’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen arrived in the Danish capital on Saturday for a three-day visit, in a display of unity between the mineral-rich island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and Denmark.

“We are in a foreign policy situation which means we have to move closer together,” Nielsen said alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Nielsen’s visit followed months of tension over Trump’s repeated declarations that Greenland should become part of the United States.

Both leaders have said only Greenlanders can decide the their future.

However, they are said to have found themselves treading a delicate line between firmly dismissing US ambitions of annexing Greenland while also trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.

“We are ready for a strong partnership (with the U.S.) and more development, but we want respect … We will never be a piece of property that can be bought by anyone,” Nielsen said.

According to him, an ongoing expansion of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, which was agreed before Trump took office, was causing anxiety among the people of Greenland.

He, however, did not confirm or deny when asked if he had been in contact with the US administration since taking office earlier this month.

The warmer relations between Nuuk and Copenhagen reportedly came after Greenland’s previous prime minister in December blamed Denmark for a historical “genocide” in Greenland and in January stepped up a push for independence from Denmark.

Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to invest more in Greenland and to support Greenland financially as it takes over more responsibility of domestic affairs from Copenhagen as part of what she called a “modernisation” of their relationship.

Denmark has called for increased Arctic defence collaboration with the United States, and both Nielsen and Frederiksen said on Sunday that they were committed to strengthening defence in the region.