Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has acknowledged a “fundamental disagreement” with the United States concerning the status of Greenland, following discussions at the White House.
Rasmussen characterised the Wednesday meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “frank but constructive,” but firmly rejected US President Trump’s persistent ambition of “conquering” the autonomous Danish territory, calling the idea “totally unacceptable.”
“We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of [Denmark],” Rasmussen stated. President Trump later reaffirmed his intent to acquire the resource-rich island, a stance that has unsettled European allies and heightened strains within NATO.
The tripartite talks involving the US, Denmark, and Greenland, which lasted an hour, did not yield a significant resolution. However, the parties agreed to establish a high-level working group to deliberate on the future of the Arctic island.
Rasmussen emphasised the existence of “red lines” the US must not cross, with the working group scheduled to convene in the coming weeks to seek a compromise. He noted that Denmark and Greenland are amenable to the potential expansion of US military facilities on the island.
“It’s productive to start discussions at a high level,” he commented.
Rasmussen conceded an “element of truth” in President Trump’s assertion that Arctic security requires strengthening to counter Russian and Chinese influence. However, he clarified that the President’s remarks regarding Russian and Chinese warships operating near Greenland were “not true.”
Greenland’s strategic position between North America and the Arctic renders it crucial for early-warning missile systems and regional surveillance, despite its sparse population. President Trump has consistently cited US national security as the rationale for acquiring the territory.
US already maintains over 100 permanent military personnel at its Pituffik base in northwestern Greenland, a site operated since World War Two under agreements granting Washington broad discretion to deploy troops to the island.
Following the discussions, Greenland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt expressed openness to enhanced cooperation with the US while firmly opposing any takeover. “We have shown where our limits are,” Motzfeldt said.
Vance and Rubio did not issue immediate statements post-meeting. Trump, addressing reporters in the Oval Office, asserted, “We need Greenland for national security.”
He added, “The problem is there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there’s everything we can do,” casting doubt on Denmark’s capability to defend the island.
The talks prompted swift demonstrations of allied support for Greenland across Europe. Sweden pledged to deploy armed forces to the territory upon Denmark’s request.
Germany announced it would send a “reconnaissance team” to assess potential military contributions to regional security. United Kingdom’s Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the dispatch of a military officer to join that team.
France also signaled increased engagement, with its Foreign Minister announcing plans to open a consulate on the island next month. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed France’s participation in the reconnaissance mission, noting that “French military elements” were already en route.
Denmark stated that any military expansion in Greenland would occur “in close co-operation with allies,” acknowledging in a release that “geopolitical tensions have spread to the arctic.”
White House meeting represents the latest diplomatic exchange concerning President Trump’s escalating focus on Greenland.
While it remains uncertain if the administration is contemplating military action to seize the island – an option the President again declined to rule out – other considerations include a potential purchase, despite no indication from Danish or Greenlandic authorities that the territory is for sale.
Vance has previously criticised Denmark’s governance of Greenland and visited the island shortly after assuming office. President Trump links control of Greenland to his proposed missile defence system, the Golden Dome, stating in a social media post, “It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it.”
Public sentiment appears resistant to a change in sovereignty. Most residents of Greenland oppose coming under US control, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday found only 17 percent of Americans support a US seizure of the island, compared to 47 percent who oppose the move.
These negotiations on Greenland follow recent US military operations in Venezuela and against ISIS targets in Syria, alongside threats of action against Iran concerning its internal protest crackdown.
