Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is set to visit Greenland from April 2 to 4 to hold talks with the new government of the semi-autonomous region. This comes as the US Vice President, JD Vance, has expressed interest in taking control of the Arctic island.
Frederiksen stated in a statement that she looks forward to continuing the close and trustful cooperation between Greenland and Denmark. The visit is seen as a response to Vance’s comments, who accused Denmark of not doing enough to protect Greenland from threats posed by Russia and China.
Greenland recently formed a new broad government coalition under the leadership of Jens Frederik Nielsen, who has described Denmark as his country’s closest ally. Frederiksen has emphasized that it is up to the Greenlandic people to decide their own future.
In a statement, Frederiksen expressed her respect for how the Greenlandic people and politicians handle the great pressure on the island. Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, also criticized Vance’s comments, saying he felt a bit provoked and that Denmark has always been a loyal ally to the US.
It is worth noting that US President Donald Trump has previously threatened to annex Greenland, citing national security concerns. Some speculate that economic interests, such as the potential for valuable natural resources beneath the island’s ice, may also be at play.