Greenland wants to be independent, not American or Danish, says premier

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Greenland doesn’t want to be American or Danish but wants to be independent, according to the Arctic island’s prime minister after a tumultuous week for US President-elect Donald Trump. Refuse to discard energy to take control of the area.

Múte Egede said the “status quo is not an option” as he expressed his desire to keep the 57,000-strong and geopolitically important island “its own voice” by gaining independence from Denmark and rejecting Trump’s attempt to buy it. Greenland.

“We don’t want to be Danish, we don’t want to be American, we want to be Greenlandic,” he said at a news conference on Friday.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the same meeting that Greenland’s desire for independence was “legitimate and understandable”, while calling US interest in the autonomous region “positive”.

Frederiksen added that he wanted to keep together the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes the autonomous regions of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. “I personally believe that if we stay together, we will be stronger in the global game,” he asserted.

Trump this week refused to rule out using military force against the NATO ally to bring Greenland under US control as Washington seeks to counter growing Russian and Chinese interests in the Arctic.

The world’s largest non-continental island is already home to a US military base and is seen as a hub for Arctic security, as well as the start of two new subpolar shipping routes and rich reserves of rare earths and other minerals.

Greenland, which has home rule on most issues except foreign and security policy provided by Denmark, has long sought independence but has struggled to find enough economic growth to break ties with Copenhagen.

Egede, who has repeatedly insisted that Greenland is not for sale, said the region was open to cooperating with the United States as it had long done, but insisted that its fate would be determined by Greenland. He said Trump’s military threats were “serious” but that Greenlanders should avoid being “hysterical”.

“When I talk to the leader of another country, I have to be with the Danish ambassador. These are the things where we want our own voice,” he added.

Frederiksen is seeking a meeting with Trump to discuss the issue and said the president-elect did not raise the issue of Greenland with him when they spoke after his election victory in November.

“It is positive for us to see the increasing interest of the United States around Greenland. . . There is a need for closer cooperation in investment and trade and mineral exploitation. From Denmark’s side, we are happy to invest more in Greenland,” added the Danish Prime Minister.

When Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019, Danish politicians, including Frederiksen, reacted with outrage and derision. But they responded more subtly this time, insisting that the island was not for sale but that they were keen to cooperate. US on the Arctic.

Danish ministers have admitted they have not invested enough in Greenland’s defense where they have only four ships, a surveillance plane and some dog sled patrols. They have pledged up to $2 billion in additional investment, but officials have said privately that they are dependent on NATO and the US military to fully defend the island.

Chinese companies have tried to invest in a Greenlandic airport and several mining projects, but have been rejected by the US and Denmark.