Greenland’s leader will meet the Danish king in Copenhagen on Wednesday, after US President-elect Donald Trump said he wanted to take control of the vast Arctic island, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, said Tuesday that he would not rule out resorting to military or economic measures to make Greenland part of the United States.. On the same day, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., made a private visit to Greenland.
Trump’s comments prompted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrotto say Wednesday that the European Union would not allow other nations to attack its sovereign borders. Barrot added that he did not believe the United States would invade Greenland, which has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years.
A German government spokesman said Germany upholds international principle that borders cannot be changed by force.
NATO did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment on Trump’s remarks. Denmark is a member of the US-led military alliance and also the EU.
Greenland, which has barely 57,000 inhabitants but an area of more than 2 million square kilometers, It is not part of the EU, but is part of NATO through its links with Denmark.
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, leader of a left-wing political party that supports future independence from Denmark, He was scheduled to meet King Frederick in Copenhagen on Wednesday afternoon. The royal court gave no details about the planned meeting.
Although many Greenlanders dream of independence from their former colonial ruler, the king still enjoys great popularity, having spent long periods of time in Greenland, including a four-month expedition to the ice sheet.
“I am sure that the king is really the best placed person in Denmark to deal with this matter at the moment because he has a long history with Greenland.”Damien Degeorges, a consultant specializing in Greenland based in Reykjavik, told Reuters.
“It is very popular in Greenland, so it can be a big help for relations between Denmark and Greenland.”
The royal court recently amended the coat of arms to more prominently display the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, a move that was widely interpreted as a way to underline the royal family’s relationship with Greenland.
Semi-sovereign
Greenland currently controls most of its internal affairs as a semi-sovereign territory under the Danish kingdom. Its relations with Denmark have been strained recently by accusations of mistreatment of Greenlanders during colonial times.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that she could not imagine that Trump’s ambitions would lead to US military intervention in Greenland.
Denmark is responsible for the security and defense of Greenland, but its military capabilities there are limited to four inspection vessels, a Challenger surveillance plane and dog sled patrols.
In response to Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Denmark, Frederiksen said he did not believe a trade war with the United States was a good way forward. Denmark is the headquarters of Novo Nordisk, Europe’s most valuable company, which makes the weight-loss drug Wegovy, which has become very popular in the United States.
Still, Trump’s openly stated ambition to Expanding US territorial control has shaken allies less than two weeks before he takes office.
Greenlander Egede has said the island is not for sale, while in his New Year’s speech he intensified his push for independence.Denmark also says that the territory is not for sale and that its fate can only be decided by Greenlanders.
Trump already raised the issue of the US annexation of Greenland in 2019 during his first presidency, but his latest statements still left many Danes baffled.
“It seems extremely ridiculous to me”said Jeppe Finne Sorenson, a data engineer in the Danish capital. “We have an alliance, we are allies. So this doesn’t really respect that.”
