Denmark clears air on increased army presence in Greenland

(MENAFN) Denmark’s foreign minister emphasized on Monday that the country’s recent increase in military presence in Greenland is intended to address security concerns, not to provoke US President Donald Trump. Lars Lokke Rasmussen said there appears to be a “misunderstanding” in Washington over Denmark’s actions in the Arctic territory.

Rasmussen noted that Denmark remains committed to the agreements reached with the US during a recent White House meeting, including the formation of a working group on Greenland. “We will do that, and then we have to see what the Americans do,” he told Danish media following talks with British counterpart Yvette Cooper in London.

Regarding the deployment of Danish troops, Rasmussen said: “What we have done in Greenland in recent days is not to build up to provoke the American president. It is to build up to meet his concern.” Planes carrying Danish soldiers reportedly arrived in western Greenland on Monday after the country’s armed forces had announced the move earlier in the day. He also stressed that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries must be respected.”

Speaking to Sky News, Rasmussen added that Denmark and Greenland have actively “kept Chinese investment away” from the island and emphasized that Europe would respond collectively to any threats of US tariffs, not just Denmark. “You can’t threaten your way to ownership of Greenland. You have a desire, you have a vision, you have a request, but you will never be able to achieve that by putting pressure on us,” he said, underlining the country’s firm stance.

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