Denmark says it will continue Arctic cooperation with US after Trump calls for Greenland annexation
The island is an autonomous territory of the Danish kingdom and is at the center of a recent controversy over statements made by the president-elect.
Donald Trump made statements in favor of the annexation of Greenland.
Denmark is "open to dialogue" with the United States to safeguard its interests in the Arctic, Denmark's foreign minister said Wednesday, amid controversy over Trump's statements about the annexation of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
The kingdom of Denmark, which includes mainland Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is "open to a dialogue with the Americans on how we can cooperate, possibly even more closely than we already do, to ensure that American ambitions are fulfilled," Lars Løkke Rasmussen said.
The Danish foreign minister noted during a press conference that melting ice and the opening of new Arctic sea lanes were leading to "an increase in great power rivalry" in the region, with both China and Russia present.
It is "legitimate for the United States and NATO, and therefore also the Kingdom of Denmark, to be aware of this," he added.
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Donald Trump said before Christmas that control of Greenland was "an absolute necessity" for "national security and freedom around the world." On Tuesday he did not rule out the use of force to annex it, prompting concern and surprise in this vast territory and in Copenhagen, as in other European capitals.
However, Løkke Rasmussen called for calm. "You don't necessarily have to say out loud everything you think," the minister said. "I try to deal with the realities, and I think we should all do ourselves a favor by getting our heart rate down a bit," he added.
Just a day earlier, Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, flew to Greenland along with several media personalities close to the Trump entourage.
Blinken rules out annexation
"The idea expressed about Greenland is obviously not a good one, but maybe more important, it's obviously one that's not going to happen," Blinken said during a news conference in France.
Convinced that the United States is "stronger" and "get[s] better results when we're working closely with our allies," in this case Europeans, Blinken urged not to do "things that might alienate them."
Less than two weeks before taking office as U.S. president, Trump on Tuesday issued a threat to annex the self-governing territory of Denmark.
European capitals were quick to react against these statements, from Berlin to Paris.
Greenland, which seeks to gain sovereignty but remains financially dependent on Copenhagen, has vast natural resources, although oil exploration and uranium mining are banned. It is also of geostrategic importance with a U.S. military base.
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