Greenland and Denmark request an urgent meeting with Washington regarding Trump's statements
In a significant diplomatic development reflecting escalating tensions in the Arctic, Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motsefeldt announced on Tuesday that the governments of Greenland and Denmark have formally requested an urgent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio . This move comes in response to President Donald Trump's recent statements reiterating his intention to annex the Arctic island to the United States.
Motzfeldt explained on her official Facebook page that “the meeting is primarily aimed at discussing the important and controversial statements made by the US administration regarding the future of Greenland.” The minister noted, in a tone of diplomatic reproach, that “to date, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has not met with the Greenlandic government, despite the fact that the governments of Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly requested a meeting at the foreign minister level throughout 2025.”.
Broad European solidarity
This announcement coincides with intense political activity within the Danish parliament, where the Danish government is holding meetings with the Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the future of the relationship between the “Kingdom of Denmark” (which includes the mainland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland) and the United States in light of these developments.
Internationally, Denmark received strong support from its European allies. France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement expressing their full support for Denmark's sovereignty and their firm rejection of Trump's claims to the island. In a separate statement, the foreign ministers of the Nordic countries stressed that issues concerning Denmark and Greenland should be resolved exclusively between Copenhagen and Nuuk, without external interference imposing a fait accompli.
The strategic importance of Greenland
The United States' interest in Greenland is not a recent development, but rather stems from deep geopolitical and strategic considerations. The island, situated between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, is home to Thule Air Base, the northernmost US military base, and plays a vital role in the ballistic missile early warning system and space surveillance.
Furthermore, as the ice melts as a result of climate change, the island's economic importance increases, as it is believed to contain huge reserves of rare earth minerals, oil and gas, making it an arena of international competition between superpowers, including China and Russia.
Historical background of American ambitions
It is worth noting that the idea of the United States purchasing Greenland is not entirely new in American history. In 1946, US President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million in gold for the island, but the offer was rejected. President Trump revived this idea during his first term in 2019, causing a diplomatic crisis that led to the cancellation of his planned visit to Denmark after the Danish Prime Minister described the idea as “absurd.” The Greenlandic government consistently reiterates its firm position that the island is “open for business, but not for sale.”.
