Washington DC [US], January 15 (ANI): Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday (native time) rejected any prospect of the ‘United States buying Greenland’, at the same time as they introduced the formation of a high-level working group with Washington to discover methods to handle American safety considerations within the Arctic.
Denmark’s Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Overseas Minister Vivian Motzfeldt made the remarks at a press convention on the Danish embassy in Washington following talks on the White Home with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
‘We agreed that it is sensible to attempt to sit down on a excessive degree to discover whether or not there are prospects to accommodate the considerations of the president whereas we, on the identical time, respect the pink traces of the Kingdom of Denmark,’ Denmark’s FM stated.
Rasmussen added that Trump has expressed a need to ‘conquer’ Greenland, however that he believes the assembly has managed to ‘change the American place’.
‘It is clear that the President has this want of conquering over Greenland. We made it very clear that this isn’t within the curiosity of the Kingdom. The Premier made it very clear yesterday that Greenland, in the meanwhile and for the long run, will stay inside the Kingdom of Denmark, and due to this fact, it is a frequent place that we need to work with our American associates and allies on, but it surely have to be respectful cooperation, and it should respect the pink traces,’ Rasmussen stated.
Rasmussen underlined Denmark and Greenland’s shut alignment with Washington on safety, recalling Danish troops’ involvement alongside US forces in Afghanistan within the 2000s. ‘We have a look at ourselves because the US’s closest allies,’ he stated, including that whereas visions for Greenland could differ, the events share the identical considerations about Arctic safety.
He stated there was no ‘immediate risk’ from China and Russia that Denmark and Greenland ‘cannot accommodate’. ‘There isn’t any Chinese language presence presently in Greenland,’ he stated, dismissing fears that this is able to essentially be the case ‘in 10 or 20 years from now’.
He reiterated that Greenland, by means of Denmark, is a member of NATO and is roofed by Article 5 on collective defence.
Rasmussen additionally highlighted that Denmark has already stepped up its safety tasks by growing army funding, together with for ships, drones and fighter jets, and stated Copenhagen is ready to go additional. ‘The US already has vast army entry to Greenland as a part of an settlement relationship again to the Fifties,’ he famous.
Additional, Rasmussen stated Denmark and the US will set up a ‘high-level’ working group to discover whether or not a ‘frequent manner ahead’ may be discovered. ‘The group ought to concentrate on addressing American safety considerations whereas respecting the pink traces of the Kingdom of Denmark,’ he stated, including that it’s going to meet for the primary time within the coming weeks.
Rasmussen stated the prospect of the US buying Greenland is ‘completely not crucial’ and pointed to Denmark’s long-standing ties with Washington.
‘We’ve got the longest-lasting diplomatic relationship with america of any ally. It is a good framework which may very well be used to return to a mutual settlement,’ he stated, whereas acknowledging that accommodating Trump’s considerations with out crossing Denmark’s pink traces stays unsure.
Answering a query from the BBC, Rasmussen stated he has identified Trump from his earlier tenure as Danish prime minister and that Denmark shares ‘to some extent’ Trump’s considerations about safety within the Arctic.
In the meantime, Greenland FM Motzfeldt asserted that whereas Greenland should strengthen cooperation with the US as an ally, this doesn’t imply surrendering sovereignty. ‘That does not imply we need to be owned by america,’ she stated.
She later added that it’s all the time in Greenland’s curiosity to search out the ‘proper path ahead’ and to work in direction of better mutual understanding.
Calling for a return to secure ties, Motzfeldt stated, ‘The US and Greenland must return to the normalised relationship we used to have. It is in each nations’ curiosity to discover a steadiness and work as allies. We’re allies, we’re associates.’
She added that Greenland has emphasised ‘so many instances the place we stand’.
Earlier as we speak, US President Donald Trump once more pushed for management of Greenland, calling it crucial for ‘nationwide safety’ and arguing it might additionally bolster NATO’s energy.
In a Fact Social publish, Trump wrote that ‘something much less’ than US management of Greenland is ‘unacceptable,’ including, ‘NATO turns into much more formidable and efficient with Greenland within the fingers of the UNITED STATES.’
He stated that ‘NATO must be main the way in which for us to get it,’ and ‘if we do not, Russia or China will, and that isn’t going to occur!’ (ANI)
