Denmark and U.S. face tense talks over Greenland dispute
The foreign ministers of Denmark and the U.S. are planning their first meeting since Donald Trump's victory and his statement that he intends to take over Greenland. This meeting is scheduled to occur in Brussels on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting.
What do you need to know?
- Meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit: Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio are set to meet in Brussels during the NATO foreign ministers' gathering.
- Greenland in the spotlight: Donald Trump has rekindled interest in acquiring Greenland, escalating tensions in relations with Denmark.
- Limited diplomatic contacts: Currently, diplomatic exchanges between Denmark and the U.S. are minimal, highlighting the significance of this upcoming meeting.
The first meeting of the U.S. and Denmark foreign ministers
As reported by the "Financial Times," Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Mark Rubio are planning to meet in Brussels during the NATO summit. This will be the first high-level meeting between Denmark and the U.S. since Donald Trump's election victory.
Officials involved in the meeting preparations, who spoke with the "FT," warned that the meeting could be cancelled due to tensions in bilateral relations. Greenland, an autonomous territory related to Denmark, is currently being visited by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. A few days earlier, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited the island.
Why is Greenland crucial?
Donald Trump reiterated his desire to take over Greenland on Friday, asserting that it is crucial for global security. He claims that Denmark is unable to defend itself against the increasing activities of Russia and China in the area. During his visit to Greenland, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance accused Denmark of not fulfilling defense obligations, a statement that attracted criticism from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
What are Denmark's reactions?
Denmark, which initially attempted to dismiss Trump's claims to Greenland and urged allies not to react to the U.S. president's comments, has recently changed approach to counter Washington's rhetoric.
Frederiksen announced on Friday that by accusing the Copenhagen government of failing in its defense duties in Greenland, Vance acted unfairly. "Denmark is a good and strong ally to all NATO members. We face a threat from Russia and have significantly increased defense spending. For many years, we have stood side by side with the Americans in very difficult situations. Therefore, the Vice President’s description of Denmark is not accurate," she stated.
Rasmussen noted that Denmark is open to criticism, but "let me be completely honest, we do not appreciate the tone in which it’s being delivered".
"This is not how you speak to your close allies, and I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies."
