Donald Trump, the President of the United States, emphasized that the United States must "take control" of Greenland to prevent its potential influence from Russia and China.
At a press conference on Friday, responding to a question from the BBC, Trump noted: "Countries must own their territory, and it should be defended, not just rented. We will need to protect Greenland."
He added that "we will do this the 'easy way' or the 'hard way'." Recently, the U.S. administration confirmed that it is considering the possibility of purchasing this semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is part of NATO, while not ruling out the option of annexation.
However, Denmark and Greenland have already stated that they do not intend to sell their territory. Danish authorities warned that any military actions could destroy the transatlantic defense alliance.
Greenland, despite its small population, has a strategic location between North America and the Arctic, making it important for early warning systems for missile attacks and monitoring maritime vessels in the area.
President Trump has repeatedly emphasized that Greenland is crucial for U.S. national security, claiming that its waters are "filled with Russian and Chinese ships."
At the Pituffik base in northwestern Greenland, more than 100 American military personnel are currently stationed, a facility that has been under U.S. management since World War II.
According to existing agreements with Denmark, the U.S. has the right to deploy troops to Greenland at its discretion. Nevertheless, Trump, speaking with the press in Washington, expressed the opinion that rental agreements are insufficient.
“You can't make nine-year or even hundred-year contracts,” he said, adding that ownership rights are necessary.
“I respect the people of China and Russia,” Trump continued. “But I don’t want to see them as neighbors in Greenland; that will not happen.”
The president also noted that NATO should understand this.
NATO allies of Denmark, including major European nations and Canada, expressed support for Denmark this week, emphasizing that "only Denmark and Greenland have the right to make decisions regarding their relations."
They also noted that, like the U.S., they are interested in ensuring security in the Arctic, and that this should be achieved through "collective efforts" of allies.
Additionally, they called for "adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders."
The escalation of discussions regarding Greenland occurred after Trump applied military force against Venezuela on Saturday in an attempt to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.
In 2019, during his first term, Trump had already expressed ideas about purchasing the island, but he was informed that it was not for sale.
Next week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to hold talks with Denmark.
Interest in Greenland has also increased in recent years due to its natural resources, such as rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron, access to which is becoming easier with the melting of glaciers due to climate change. Scientists suggest that significant reserves of oil and gas may be located in the country.
Leaders of Greenland's parties, including the opposition, in a joint statement released on Friday, again called for an end to the "disrespectful attitude of the U.S. towards our country."
“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” they stated. “The future of Greenland should be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
