Danish PM says received European backing against Trump’s Greenland push

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen claims that as she seeks to counteract US President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, the country has received a lot of support from other European countries.

Trump has argued that using military force to enslave the Arctic island, which is a sovereign Danish territory, is essential to US national security.

Frederiksen visited three European capitals on Tuesday, meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Before meeting with Rutte in Brussels on Tuesday, Frederiksen told Danish media that “I have no reason to believe that there is a military threat to Greenland or Denmark.”

The Danish prime minister told reporters that she had received “a great deal of support” from Europe while speaking with Macron earlier in Paris.

Chancellor Scholz, who met with Frederiksen as well, emphasised that “borders must not be moved by force”. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of a strong NATO and a strong Europe. “The times we live in are challenging.

The Danish prime minister praised the consensus, stating, “This is a very, very clear message … that, of course, there must be respect for territory and the sovereignty of states”.

The meetings come on the heels of a Nordic summit over the weekend, where all leaders shared concerns about the situation, according to Frederiksen.

Copenhagen also announced this week that it would allocate 14.6 billion kroner ($2 billion) to increase its regional defense spending. Three brand-new long-range drones and advanced imaging technology will be funded by the funding. The country also plans to bolster its satellite capabilities.

Greenland, an island in the Arctic that is thought to be rich in untapped mineral and oil resources, has long been Trump’s top priority. He did not rule out enforcing any restrictions on using force or imposing tariffs to annex the Danish autonomous territory earlier this month.

Trump stated to reporters on Saturday that he believed the US would eventually “get Greenland,” which he sees as a valuable region as the melting Arctic ice opens up new shipping routes.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen firmly pushed back against the remarks, saying that “Trump will not have Greenland”.

Greenland’s trade and justice minister, Naaja Nathanielsen, pointed out to the AFP news agency that the US has maintained a military presence on the island for 80 years.

Greenland is “not opposed to that”, she told the outlet.

However, she emphasised that if Trump’s intentions were expansionist, “we are a democracy, we are allies, and we ask our allies to respect our institutions”.

Nathanielsen added that the Greenlandic people were living through a “worrying time” and were “concerned” about Trump’s comments.

Greenland has long fought to become independent of Denmark, but it has continued to do business with the US.