Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen indicated on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” persists regarding Greenland in discussions with US officials. These talks took place at the White House alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Notwithstanding the existing differences, both parties agreed to form a working group to explore constructive avenues for addressing these issues. This dialogue continues as President Donald Trump maintains his call for the US to acquire the semiautonomous territory, which is part of NATO ally Denmark.
“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters after joining Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, for the talks. He added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”
President Trump has been advocating for NATO’s involvement in facilitating Greenland’s acquisition, which is the world’s largest island. He has expressed that any arrangement falling short of American control over the territory would be deemed unacceptable.
In response, Denmark has announced an initiative to enhance its military presence in both the Arctic and the North Atlantic regions. Trump has justified his call for US oversight by highlighting concerns regarding potential interests from China and Russia in Greenland, which is believed to possess substantial untapped reserves of critical minerals.
Although Trump did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, he reaffirmed his stance on Greenland’s acquisition during an Oval Office discussion with reporters. He stated, “We need Greenland for national security.” Before this meeting, he publicly suggested on social media that “NATO should be leading the way” in pursuing the United States’ goal of securing control over the territory.
“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has distanced himself from the ongoing dispute between the US and other members of the 32-nation alliance regarding President Trump’s aggressive approach toward Denmark over Greenland. Both Løkke Rasmussen and Motzfeldt expressed cautious optimism that discussions could lead to Trump dropping his demand to acquire Greenland, paving the way for closer US cooperation. Motzfeldt noted, “We have shown our limits, and now it’s time to look forward.”
In Copenhagen, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced plans to enhance Denmark’s military presence in the Arctic and the North Atlantic in collaboration with allies.
Greenland is strategically important, especially as climate change opens new trade routes to Asia and enables the extraction of critical minerals. Trump has also called Greenland “vital” to the U.S. Golden Dome missile defence programme, citing threats from Russian and Chinese naval activities—claims that many experts and Greenlanders question.
Denmark has emphasised that the US can expand its existing military bases in Greenland under a 1951 treaty. Løkke Rasmussen and Motzfeldt stressed the importance of continued dialogue with Trump despite their disagreements, stating, “It is in everybody’s interest to explore ways to accommodate concerns while respecting Greenland’s self-determination.”
This article used information from The Associated Press.
