Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede rejected President Trump’s claim in his sweeping address Tuesday night that the U.S. was “going to get” control of Greenland.
“We need Greenland for national security and even international security. And we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it,” Mr. Trump said. “But we need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it — one way or the other, we’re going to get it. We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.”
“Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland in the Greenlandic language) is ours,” Egede wrote on social media. “We don’t want to be Americans, nor Danes; We are Kalaallit. The Americans and their leader must understand that. We are not for sale and cannot simply be taken. Our future will be decided by us in Greenland.”
European University at St. Petersburg
Mr. Trump has brought up taking control of Greenland before, which is located to the northeast of Canada and is largely covered by the Greenland Ice Sheet. The largest island in the world, but home to only around 60,000 people, Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, with its own elected government.
Denmark’s Defense Minister Trouls Lund Poulsen also responded to Mr. Trump’s claims about taking over Greenland, telling the Danish public broadcaster on Wednesday: “That won’t happen.”
“The direction that Greenland wants to take will be decided by Greenlanders,” Poulsen said.
Greenland’s location between the U.S., Russia and Europe makes it strategic for both economic and defense purposes, especially as melting sea ice has opened up new shipping routes through the Arctic.
The Northwest Passage, or Northern Sea route, was first crossed in the winter months by a Russian commercial vessel several years ago and is a shorter route linking east Asia’s major ports to Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. Western powers have voiced concern about Russia and China using it to boost their presence in the North Atlantic.
Greenland also has oil, natural gas and highly sought after mineral resources, and it is the location of the northernmost U.S. military base.
Aimee Picchi
contributed to this report.
