SAO PAULO, SP (FOLHAPRESS)-United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will respect Greenland’s self-determination, according to Dane Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen after a meeting of the two in Brussels on Thursday (3).
The meeting took place after months of tension between Washington and Copenhagen due to the repeated statements of US President Donald Trump that Greenland – a semi -autonomous territory of Denmark should become part of the United States.
US Vice President JD Vance visited one of the most strategic US military bases located in northern Greenland last Friday (28). At the time, he accused Denmark of not doing a good job to keep the arct is safe. He suggested that the US would better protect the territory.
NATO should pay more attention to the situation in the Arctic, and the responsibility of protecting the region is up to the military alliance, said Rasmussen.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has stated that it is up to the people of Greenland to decide their own future, has classified Vance’s description of Denmark as unfair.
Relations between Greenland and Denmark have faced tensions after recent revelations of historical abuse against the Greenlandes during the colonial period. However, Trump’s interest in controlling Greenland, within a growing dispute of influence in the Arctic, led Denmark to accelerate efforts to improve ties with the territory.
Less than a week after the island’s trip, Frederiksen made his first visit after the election of the new Greenish Prime Minister. She promised to support the territory against Trump’s repeated statements.
Rasmussen told reporters after his meeting with Rubio that Greenland was not formally on the meeting’s agenda. However, he said he took the opportunity to address the topic.
“These statements by the US President, with a vision or ambition to control Greenland, are unsustainable. It has reached a point where it really challenges our sovereignty as a kingdom,” he said.
