U.S. vice president reroutes Greenland visit amid protests
Friday's visit by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance to the American Space Force base Pituffik in Greenland may indicate the United States' concerns about potential protests, according to media reports. The British newspaper "The Telegraph" reveals that Vance's associates "went door to door," asking Greenland residents to welcome guests from the USA.
Encounters with repeated refusals led to changes in plans, resulting in their decision to head to the remote Pituffik base, where the U.S. Vice President is expected to arrive with his wife.
The newspaper notes that initially, the Second Lady of the United States was supposed to wave a flag to start an important sled dog race for the local community in Sisimiut on Saturday. This year, the event received a grant from the U.S. consulate in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.
The editor-in-chief of the Greenlandic newspaper "Sermitsiaq," Masaana Egede, described the change in travel plans of the U.S. representatives as a "great relief" and a victory for the people of Greenland, who intended to greet the American Second Lady with a protest by turning their backs on her.
The earlier visit plan, which included a tour of Nuuk, was also criticized by the governments of Denmark and Greenland. Local politicians refused official meetings with the American delegation, citing coalition talks following the elections to the Greenlandic parliament.
However, Egede warned that the U.S. authorities will not abandon their interest in Greenland. He assessed the U.S. delegation’s visit to the military base as a strong message directed at Denmark, Greenland, and NATO.
"Too soon to talk about Denmark's diplomatic success"
Mikkel Runge Olesen, an expert from the Danish Institute for International Studies, echoes a similar sentiment. According to him, "It is all too early to proclaim it as a Danish diplomatic victory".
One scenario points to the possibility that U.S. authorities recognized their presence in Greenland might not be well received. Concerns about potential mass protests—and the reputational damage they could cause—may have influenced their decision, the analyst noted.
In his view, the second, more plausible explanation for the Vances' visit to the U.S. military base might be the desire to use this opportunity to criticize the Danish government. The U.S. authorities believe that the Danish government has not fulfilled its obligation to make defence investments in Greenland for years. Runge Olesen raises the question of whether the United States will frame the situation in a way that justifies taking further action in response.
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