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Greenland’s government will join a meeting between United States secretary of state Marco Rubio and Danish officials next week following renewed US claims on the Arctic island, its foreign minister said.
“Of course we will take part. We’re the ones who requested a meeting,” Vivian Motzfeldt told Danish public broadcaster DR on Wednesday (local time) after Rubio confirmed the meeting would take place.
The White House confirmed on Wednesday that President Donald Trump has been in active discussions with his team about the possibility of purchasing Greenland. While the idea may seem unorthodox, the President emphasized a preference for diplomatic negotiations, though he did not entirely dismiss the prospect of taking military action if necessary.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen had said earlier this week that a meeting with Washington’s top diplomat should “clear up certain misunderstandings”.
He has contested Trump’s claim that Copenhagen has neglected security in the Arctic.
Meanwhile, Denmark has been ramping up its security efforts in Greenland. Over the past year, Copenhagen has significantly increased its investment, dedicating approximately 90 billion kroner, equivalent to $13 billion, to enhance security measures in the region.
Motzfeld said she hoped the meeting “will lead to a normalisation of our relations” with the US.
“Greenland needs the United States and the United States needs Greenland when it comes to security in the Arctic,” she added.
The Wall Street Journal reported Rubio told lawmakers that Trump’s preferred option is to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding the threats did not signal an imminent invasion.
Trump has in recent days repeated that he wants to gain control of Greenland, an idea first voiced in 2019 during his first presidency.
He argues the island is key for US military strategy and that Denmark has not done enough to protect it.
