Danish Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Washington: Denmark's foreign minister said Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with President Donald Trump after talks in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
But the two sides agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of Denmark's Arctic territory of Greenland.
Trump is trying to make the case that NATO should help the US acquire the world's largest island and says anything less than it being under American control is “unacceptable.” Denmark has announced plans to boost the country's military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic as Trump tries to justify his calls for a US takeover of the vast territory by repeatedly claiming that China and Russia have their designs on Greenland.
Denmark is ready to explore what is doable' on Greenland, even amid disagreements with the US Leaders from Denmark and Greenland say they don't agree with Trump on the US controlling the island, but are ready to work toward common ground.
“It is in everybody's interest — even though we disagree — that we agree to try to explore whether it is doable to accommodate some of the concerns while at the same time respecting the integrity of the Danish kingdom's territory and the self-determination of the Greenlandic people,” Løkke Rasmussen said.
Following the discussions with Vance and Rubio, Løkke Rasmussen, said, “Even though our view on the situation right now around Greenland differs from public statements in the US, we share the concerns in the longtime perspective.” Denmark and Greenland to continue dialogue with US despite fundamental disagreement Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark and Greenland will continue the dialogue with the US despite a “fundamental disagreement” about the future of the Arctic island.
“We have decided to form a high-level working group to explore if we can find a common way forward,” Rasmussen said during a press conference following his and his Greenlandic's counterpart meeting with Vance and Rubio in Washington D C on Wednesday.
“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark.” The minister said the working group would meet for the first time “within a matter of weeks.” Vast majority of voters oppose taking Greenland using military force, new poll finds About nine in 10 registered voters oppose the US trying to take Greenland by military force, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, while only nine per cent are in favour.
Buying Greenland is still not broadly popular, but voters are more divided about an acquisition involving money. Just over half, 55 per cent, of voters oppose the US trying to buy Greenland, while 37 per cent are in favour.
Republican voters, in particular, are much keener on the idea of an attempt to buy Greenland, rather than a military invasion. About two-thirds of Republican voters oppose trying to take Greenland by military force.
On the other hand, a similar percentage of Republican voters support an attempt to buy Greenland.
Landry says he wants to meet Greenlanders and not diplomats While Trump says he will take action on Greenland whether its people “like it or not,” his new handpicked US special envoy is setting off on his own approach.
Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who was appointed as US special envoy to Greenland in December, has not visited the Arctic island but plans to attend a dogsled race there in March. He has suggested Greenlanders would feel right at home in Louisiana, saying he heard they like to hunt, fish and “have a good time.” Landry has brought his thick Cajun accent and reputation for confrontational politics to the effort to acquire the world's largest island, elevating his national profile on a mission that has showcased his ties to the president and rattled partners in the military alliance.
Foreign ministers meeting at the White House is underway Denmark's Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland's Vivian Motzfeldt are now at the White House campus for their high-stakes meeting with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ahead of their arrival, the office of Greenland Representation to the US and Canada pushed back against Trump's continued insistence that the Arctic territory become part of the United States.
“Why don't you ask us, kalaallit?” the office said in a social media post, referring to the island's indigenous Inuit people. The office noted that polling showed a vast majority of Kalaallit and Greenlanders oppose joining the United States.
On the ground at the US embassy in Copenhagen Dozens of people holding Greenlandic flags have gathered to protest against US militant rhetoric as Danish and Greenlandic officials are preparing to meet their counterparts in Washington.
Trump says anything less than having Greenland in the United States' hands is unacceptable Trump said Wednesday that anything less than US control of Greenland is “unacceptable,” hours before Vice President JD Vance was to host Danish and Greenlandic officials for talks.
In a post on his social media site, Trump reiterated his argument that the US “needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security.” He added that “NATO should be leading the way for us to get it” and that otherwise Russia or China would.
“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.” Greenland is at the center of a geopolitical storm as Trump is insisting he wants to own the island, and the residents of its capital, Nuuk, say it is not for sale. The White House has not ruled out taking the Arctic island by force.