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Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Donald Trump that it is up to Greenland to decide its own future.
The US president-elect caused upheaval in Copenhagen and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, last week when he signaled that the United States wanted to acquire the huge Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
In a 45-minute phone call on Wednesday, Frederiksen told Trump that Denmark was willing to increase its responsibility for Arctic security.
He also reiterated statements by Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, who recently said Greenland was not for sale.
Trump did not react publicly to the call. However, he reposted on his TruthSocial account a 2019 poll indicating that 68% of Greenlanders supported independence from Denmark.
A referendum on independence is believed to be on the cards and Denmark has said it will respect any result.
The last time he was president, Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. When Frederiksen called the proposal “absurd,” he abruptly canceled a trip to Denmark.
The Danish government said that in his phone call with Trump, Frederiksen also emphasized that “Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the United States, and that the EU and the United States have a common interest in strengthening trade.”
Last week, Trump threatened Denmark with high tariffs if the country did not give up Greenland.
The suggestion raised alarm bells among Danish industry leaders, as the United States is Denmark’s second-largest export market and any targeted tariffs would have a significant impact on the Danish economy.
On Thursday, Frederiksen will hold what Danish media called a “crisis meeting” with business leaders, including the CEOs of brewing giant Carlsberg and drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which makes anti-obesity and diabetes drugs popular in the United States. .
She will also host an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Policy Council with members from across parliament.
Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz said she was satisfied with Frederiksen’s stance that any decision about Greenland should be made by Greenlanders.
“I have great confidence in the prime minister’s work and I also have great confidence in Egede. I think it is important that they maintain a close dialogue,” he stated.
Earlier this week, Egede said his government was ready to begin dialogue with the incoming Trump administration.
But opposition MP Rasmus Jarlov disapproved of Frederiksen’s approach.
Writing in
Trump’s comments and his son’s visit to Greenland last week sparked widespread concern in Denmark. Faced with the prospect of angering whom he repeatedly called “Denmark’s closest ally,” Frederiksen measured his words while emphasizing Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Hans Redder, political editor at TV2, said the fact that Trump had set aside 45 minutes for a phone call with Frederiksen indicated that “this Greenland issue is really something that is on Trump’s mind, it’s not just a passing thought.” .
