Denmark will not succumb to “unacceptable“ pressure from the United States to establish control over Greenland. This was stated by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in a speech on the occasion of the Nation Day, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
According to her, the right to self-determination of the Greenlandic people is at stake.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States wants to establish control over the resource-rich and strategically located Arctic island, motivating himself with national and international security. He did not even rule out the use of force to achieve this goal.
“The world order that we have built for generations is being tested today like never before“, Frederiksen stressed.
“In recent months, Greenland and Denmark have been subjected to unacceptable pressure from our closest ally“, she added, referring to Washington.
During a visit to Greenland in March, US Vice President J.D. Vance accused Denmark of not providing adequate protection for the territory and said the US could do a better job.
His visit came after the election victory of the Greenland Democratic Party (“Democratic“), which supports a gradual transition to independence, rather than a sharp break from Denmark, as some other parties want.
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have stressed that only Greenlanders have the right to decide the future of the territory. The Danish constitution also guarantees the island's right to seek independence.
“Basic principles of transatlantic relations - such as national sovereignty, respect for borders and the right to self-determination - are under threat“, Frederiksen said.
“But we do not bow down. We Danes are not like that“, she was categorical.
King Frederik, who is popular in Greenland, visited the island in late April in a show of solidarity and unity amid diplomatic tensions with Washington.
Under a 1951 agreement, the United States has the right to build military bases in Greenland as long as it notifies both Denmark and local authorities.
The island, whose capital is Nuuk, is closer to New York than to Copenhagen. It is rich in natural resources, including oil, natural gas and rare earths, but their exploitation has been slow, and American investment in the mining sector has so far remained limited.