Greenland responds to Trump: We will not give up our country, and sovereignty is a red line
Greenland's Deputy Prime Minister, Mjötti Egede, firmly asserted that any attempt to cede his country to external powers is completely unacceptable. These fiery remarks, made on Thursday, were a direct and swift response to US President Donald Trump's announcement of a "framework" agreement on the island in cooperation with NATO.
“Whatever pressures are exerted by others, our country will not be abandoned and our future will not be subject to bidding,” wrote Egedi in a poignant post on his Facebook account, adding in a decisive tone: “It is unacceptable to try to give up our country to others. This is our country and we alone determine its future.”.
Background of American ambitions and strategic importance
This is not the first time the United States has stirred controversy over Greenland. In 2019, Trump expressed his desire to purchase the self-governing Danish island, a move that was met with staunch rejection and diplomatic ridicule from Copenhagen and Nuuk. Greenland holds paramount strategic importance for the United States, not only because of its geographic location between North America, Europe, and Russia, but also because it houses Thule Air Base, the northernmost US military base, which plays a pivotal role in the ballistic missile early warning system and space surveillance.
International competition in the Arctic
These moves come amid intense geopolitical competition in the Arctic. As ice melts due to climate change, new shipping lanes are opening up and opportunities are emerging to exploit vast untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals, oil, and gas. The United States is seeking to bolster its influence in the region to counter Russia’s growing presence and China’s ambitions as a “near-Arctic” power, making control or influence in Greenland a strategic objective of US national security.
Renegotiating the 1951 agreement
In a related development following recent talks in Davos between the NATO Secretary General and Donald Trump, the latter backed away from threats of forceful takeover, announcing a new diplomatic approach. A source familiar with the matter told AFP that the United States and Denmark are preparing to renegotiate their 1951 mutual defense agreement, which governs the US military presence on the island.
The legacy of our ancestors and the future of our descendants
In concluding his remarks, Egede stressed the historical and national dimension of the issue, saying: "This is the country we inherited from our ancestors and it is up to us to pass it on to our descendants," in a clear indication that fateful decisions cannot be made behind closed doors, away from the will of the Greenlandic people.
Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, is expected to hold an important press conference in the capital, Nuuk, at 16:00 GMT, to clarify his government's official position and respond to speculation surrounding the island's future amid increasing international pressure.
