The battle fori Greenland intensifies as Denmark’s PM visits island
Protesters collect in entrance of the U.S. consulate throughout an indication, beneath the slogan, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic folks”, in Nuuk, Greenland, March 15, 2025.
Christian Klindt Soelbeck | By way of Reuters
The battle over Greenland is ready to accentuate this week as Denmark’s prime minister travels to the Arctic island simply days after U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited and lambasted the Scandinavian nation for neglecting the huge territory.
The Danish authorities introduced on the weekend that Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will go to Greenland from Wednesday to Friday. Her go to comes amid persevering with U.S. curiosity within the island, which U.S. President Donald Trump has mentioned ought to change into part of the U.S.
Throughout her go to, Frederiksen will “focus on the cooperation between Greenland and Denmark” with the island’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Danish authorities mentioned.
“I stay up for persevering with the shut and trusting cooperation between Greenland and Denmark along with Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the remainder of the Authorities of Greenland,” Frederkisen commented forward of the journey.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attends a press convention on the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Jan. 28, 2025.
Nadja Wohlleben | Reuters
“Greenland has simply been via an excellent democratic course of and fashioned a broad authorities. It is necessary for me to go to and greet the longer term Chairman of the Authorities of Greenland as quickly as potential,” she mentioned, referring to a snap election earlier in March.
The vote, which was contested by primarily pro-independence events, noticed the pro-business Democrats win the most important share of the seats within the 31-seat parliament, the Inatsisartut.
The occasion favors a gradual means of independence from Denmark, however new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has reiterated feedback made by his predecessor that the island “is just not and can by no means be on the market.”
Greenland’s pro-independence sentiment means overseer Denmark has to tread rigorously on the subject of the island’s future, though it’s going to have been cheered by a current ballot displaying a overwhelming majority of Greenlanders didn’t need the island to depart Denmark and change into part of the U.S.
Danish chief Frederiksen mentioned the island has her “deepest respect” over how its folks and politicians have been dealing with what she described as “the good strain” from the U.S.’ repeated makes an attempt to court docket the uncommon earths and mineral-rich island.
“It’s a state of affairs that requires unity throughout political events. Throughout the international locations within the Danish Realm. And on cooperation in a respectful and equal means,” Frederiksen remarked.
Whereas Greenland is an autonomous territory throughout the Kingdom of Denmark, it has historic ties to the U.S., housing American navy installations since WWII.
Rising geopolitical competitors within the Arctic between Russia, China and the U.S. has additionally bolstered the attraction of the island, which lies on doubtlessly extremely profitable transport routes via the Arctic Ocean.
Vance’s go to stirs Demark
Denmark’s determination to make its presence felt on the island comes days after VP Vance and his spouse visited the island, inflicting consternation in Greenland and Denmark.
Vance on Friday accused Denmark of underinvesting within the safety of Greenland and claimed different European allies had didn’t hold tempo with protection spending.
“Denmark hasn’t performed an excellent job at preserving Greenland secure,” Vance advised service members on the Pituffik House Base in Greenland on Friday.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance excursions the U.S. navy’s Pituffik House Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025.
Jim Watson | By way of Reuters
“We all know that too usually our allies in Europe haven’t saved tempo, they have not saved tempo with navy spending and Denmark has not saved tempo in devoting the assets essential to hold this base, to maintain our troops, and for my part, to maintain the folks of Greenland secure from loads of very aggressive incursions from Russia, China and different nations with curiosity on this space,” Vance advised reporters.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his need to achieve management of the autonomous Danish territory, describing the prospect as an “absolute necessity” for U.S. nationwide safety.
Undeterred by Denmark and Greenland’s rejections of the U.S.’ advances, the president once more advised NBC Information in an interview on Saturday: “We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%.”
He mentioned there is a “good chance that we might do it with out navy pressure … I do not take something off the desk.”
US Vice President JD Vance (C) poses with Second Woman Usha Vance (2nd L), Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz (third L), his spouse , former homeland safety advisor, Julia Nesheiwat (L) and Secretary of Power Chris Wright (R) as they tour the US navy’s Pituffik House Base on March 28, 2025 in Pituffik, Greenland.
Jim Watson | Getty Pictures
Greenland’s financial system is primarily centered on fishing, however the island’s deposits of uncommon earths and demanding minerals, utilized in electronics, vitality and protection, have prompted worldwide curiosity. World warming and ice loss are making a few of the world’s largest untapped essential mineral reserves extra accessible, making it a primary goal for the Trump administration.
— CNBC’s April Roach and Sophie Kiderlin contributed reporting to this story
