Repeated threats by US to grab Greenland loom over Nielsen’s first go to to Denmark since taking workplace.
Greenland’s prime minister and his Danish counterpart have offered a united entrance, criticising United States President Donald Trump’s administration for a scarcity of respect in its designs to grab the Arctic island, a self-governed Danish territory.
“We are going to by no means, ever be a bit of property that may be purchased by anybody, and that’s the message I feel is most necessary to know,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen advised reporters on Sunday at a joint information convention in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Trump’s repeated threats to take over Greenland loomed giant over Nielsen’s first go to to Denmark since taking workplace this month.
Nielsen’s go to follows one by Frederiksen to Greenland in early April when she advised the US: “This isn’t solely about Greenland or Denmark. That is concerning the world order that we have now constructed collectively throughout the Atlantic over generations. You can not annex one other nation, not even with an argument about safety.”
Each Frederiksen and Nielsen, who leads Greenland’s new coalition authorities after his centre-right Democrats occasion received legislative elections in March, mentioned they’d be prepared to satisfy the US chief for talks.
Tensions between the US and Denmark have soared after Trump repeatedly mentioned he needed to take management of resource-rich Greenland for safety causes, refusing to rule out using power to safe it.
“I feel we want that for worldwide peace, and if we don’t have that, it’s an enormous menace to our world. So I feel Greenland is essential for worldwide peace,” Trump advised reporters on Thursday throughout a information convention with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Retailer.
US has ‘not been respectful’
Nielsen additionally mentioned on Sunday that Greenland was engaged on strengthening its relations with Denmark because of the US’s “disrespectful” rhetoric. “We’re in a state of affairs now the place we have to stand collectively. The discuss from america has not been respectful,” Nielsen mentioned.
“I completely agree with that,” Frederiksen added.
Nielsen reiterated that Greenland was able to deepen ties with the US.
“We’re prepared for a robust partnership, we’re prepared for extra improvement, however we wish respect,” he mentioned. “You can not have a companion the place there isn’t any mutual respect.”
US Vice President JD Vance paid a go to to Greenland in March, which officers each in Greenland and Denmark considered as a provocation.
Throughout his journey to the Pituffik US army base, Vance castigated Denmark for not having “achieved a superb job by the individuals of Greenland”.
“You’ve underinvested within the individuals of Greenland, and you’ve got underinvested within the safety structure of this unimaginable, stunning landmass,” he mentioned.
Danish International Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen responded on social media: “We’re open to criticisms, however let me be utterly trustworthy, we don’t recognize the tone through which it’s being delivered.”
Nielsen himself has mentioned: “America is not going to get Greenland.”
“We don’t belong to anybody else. We resolve our personal future,” he added in a Fb put up.
Throughout his two-day go to to Copenhagen, Nielsen can even meet Denmark’s King Frederik and representatives of the Danish parliament.
In a separate assertion, Denmark’s Royal Home mentioned the king would accompany Nielsen again to Greenland for a go to.
Polls present a overwhelming majority of Greenland’s 57,000 individuals need to grow to be impartial from Denmark however don’t want to grow to be a part of the US.
