Mette Frederiksen visits the Arctic island as the US continues its threats of taking over the region.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called for increased Arctic defence collaboration with the United States during a visit to Greenland, and firmly dismissed Washington’s desire to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Frederiksen’s visit follows months of tension between Washington and Copenhagen over US President Donald Trump’s repeated declarations that the Arctic island should become a part of the US.
At a news conference with the outgoing and incoming Greenlandic prime ministers on Thursday, Frederiksen switched to English to address the US directly, inviting it to strengthen security in the Arctic together with Denmark and Greenland.
“I would like to take this opportunity to send a message directly to the United States of America,” Frederiksen said on board a military vessel with snowy cliffs in the background.
“This is not only about Greenland or Denmark, this is about the world order that we have built together across the Atlantic over generations. You cannot annex another country, not even with an argument about security,” she said.
According to The Washington Post newspaper, the White House is currently estimating the cost for the US federal government to control Greenland, and the potential revenues it could derive from exploiting its largely untapped natural resources.
US Vice President JD Vance also visited the country’s military base in northern Greenland last Friday and accused Denmark of not doing a good job of keeping the Arctic island safe. He suggested the US would better protect the strategically located territory.
Frederiksen said at the time Vance’s description of Denmark was “not fair”.
On Thursday, she outlined Denmark’s security commitments, including new Arctic ships, long-range drones and satellite capacity, and said Denmark would announce more investments.
“If you want to be more present in Greenland, Greenland and Denmark is ready and if you would like to strengthen the security in the Arctic just like us, then let us do it together,” she said.
The Danish prime minister arrived in Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day visit, and rode around the capital, Nuuk, in a Danish navy patrol boat, alongside Greenland’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and his predecessor Mute Egede.
Danish public broadcaster DR said many people cheered at seeing Frederiksen, with one resident shouting from a window: “Hey Mette! Thanks for being here.”
“It is clear that with the pressure put on Greenland by the Americans, in terms of sovereignty, borders and the future, we need to stay united,” Frederiksen said after arriving on the island on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen met on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
According to Rasmussen, Rubio acknowledged Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Rubio reaffirmed the “strong relationship” between the US and Denmark, the State Department said in a statement after the meeting.