Denmark will continue talks with the US despite the "fundamental disagreement" over Greenland

WashingtonFollowing the meeting at the White House, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, along with Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, emphasized the "fundamental disagreement" that persists with the United States regarding the Arctic island. Rasmussen described the approximately 65-minute meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as "constructive," and affirmed that, despite differences on how to strengthen the territory's security, Copenhagen will continue discussions with Washington to find a solution that accommodates US demands while respecting the Kingdom of Denmark. "Ideas that do not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right to self-determination of the Greenlandic people are, of course, completely unacceptable, and therefore we still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also accept disagreement. However, we will continue talking," he stated at the subsequent press conference from the Danish Embassy in Washington. Motzfeldt, in turn, emphasized: "It is very important for us to strengthen cooperation with the United States, but that doesn't mean we want to be owned by the United States. As allies, what interests us is how we can strengthen our cooperation." In this regard, the Danish minister insisted that he believes "Greenland's long-term security can also be guaranteed within the current framework, the 1951 Greenland Defence Agreement, as well as the NATO Treaty." It is thanks to this 1951 agreement that the Americans have their base in Pituffik. "There is undoubtedly a new security situation in the Arctic," the Dane noted, insisting that "during the years of peace" there was "a willingness to maintain the Arctic as a low-tension region." "That's probably why the United States decided to have a much lighter presence in Greenland during the Cold War. At one point, they had 17 different military installations and bases. Now they only have one. They had as many as 10,000 troops in Greenland, and now, due to our decision, they have around 200." Rasmussen was responding to Washington's criticisms, which assert that the Danes will not be able to protect the island. Earlier that morning, hours before the meeting, US President Donald Trump had escalated his rhetoric against Denmark and Greenland, saying he considered it "unacceptable" that the island was in anyone other than American hands. Shortly afterward, the official US government account added fuel to the fire. "Which path will you choose, Greenland?" asked a post on X, accompanied by an image of two dog sleds with two options: a bright future with the White House and the US flag in the background, or a dark one with the flags of Russia and China and Red Square.

This isn't the first time Trump has mocked the Danes' supposed weakness in protecting the island, saying they only have dog sleds. Rasmussen also responded to these attacks: "Although he has addressed the issue [of security] differently than I would have, there is also a grain of truth in what he says. Not regarding the dog sleds, which we also use in our special forces because otherwise, as is well known, it wouldn't be possible to move around." The Danish Foreign Minister recalled that, as a former Prime Minister of Denmark, he knows President Trump "quite well."

Rasmussen criticized the fact that for over a year, the entire issue of Greenland's situation and its military capabilities has been a constant topic of debate on social media. "This was the first time we were able to sit down at a political level to discuss it. And it was also a great opportunity for Vivian and me to challenge the narrative, because what's being spread isn't true. You know, according to this narrative, there would be Chinese warships everywhere, but according to our intelligence from about a decade ago," he said.

The meeting, at the request of the Danish and Greenlandic sides, provided a space to "challenge the narrative presented" by Trump, Motzfeldt remarked, also emphasizing that it was a much more "constructive" conversation than anything that had been said through statements. Even so, he also acknowledged that, despite trying to persuade and pressure the Americans to abandon their imperialist ambitions, "it is clear that the president [Trump] has this desire to seize Greenland."

"We made it very clear that this is not in the Kingdom's interest. There is a government in Greenland with the support of three-quarters of the Greenlandic population. The Prime Minister made it very clear yesterday that Greenland, for now and for the foreseeable future, will remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark. We have American friends and allies, but it must be cooperation that respects the red lines," Motzfeldt insisted.

Trump: "We'll see what happens"

As with previous refusals from Denmark and European allies, Trump has acted as if nothing has changed. During the signing of a new executive order to reinstate full-fat milk in schools, the president said, "We'll see what happens with Greenland." This was his response to reporters after they asked him if he intended to respect the boundaries set by Denmark. "We need Greenland for national security. So we'll see what happens. I'll get a summary of the meeting right after this press conference. The sooner I'm briefed, the sooner I'll know. But we have a very good relationship with Denmark, as you know. We'll see." He insisted that "we can't rely on Denmark to defend itself."

Since the military intervention in Venezuela, Washington has been bombarding Europe with conflicting statements about its ambitions to acquire the island: either through diplomacy and accepting a sale, or by force. Essentially, the White House has already established the framework in which the only possible solution involves relinquishing control of the territory.

European leaders already condemned the US imperialist ambitions last week, and yesterday, before the delegation arrived in Washington, The governments of Denmark and Greenland stood up to Trump"We are not seeking conflict, but our message is clear: Greenland is not for sale." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen appeared together at Christiansborg Palace to send a message of unity.

Despite the intentions of both governments, Trump again responded with contempt. When a reporter asked the president what he thought of the message sent from Christiansborg, Trump claimed not to know who the Prime Minister of Greenland was: "That's his problem. I don't agree with him. I don't know who he is. But that's sure to be a big problem for him."

Trump pressures Rutte

In two posts on Wednesday, Trump addressed the Atlantic Alliance, saying it should "lead" the campaign to hand over the Arctic island. "If you don't, China or Russia will, and that's not going to happen." Trump is pressuring NATO after its Secretary General, Mark Rutte, distanced himself from threats of a US military intervention in Greenland, which would constitute aggression by one ally against another. "Now is not the time to act alone. And it is not the time to create problems between us," Rutte said yesterday during a speech at a forum in the European Parliament.

Rutte did not want to anger the daddy from Washington and has decided to opt for a supposed neutrality in the face of Trump's threats to another member country of the Alliance. "I will never comment when there are talks between allies. It's not my place," he argued. "When there are discussions between allies, my role is to make sure that we resolve the issues," he added.

In response to Trump's latest attacks, the leaders of the European Parliament have called on the European executive and member states for "concrete and tangible support" for Greenland. In a joint statement, the leaders of the various groups in the European Parliament once again condemned the events. "The statements made by the Trump administration regarding Greenland constitute a blatant challenge to international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a NATO ally," the text reads. It adds: "Arctic security is a strategic priority for the European Union, and we are firmly committed to safeguarding it."