Greenland wants to be independent, not American or Danish, says premier

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Greenland does not want to be American or Danish but independent, according to the Arctic island’s prime minister at the end of a tumultuous week following US president-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to rule out force to take control of the territory.

Múte Egede said that “the status quo is not an option” as he laid out the desire of the vast and geopolitically crucial island of 57,000 to have “its own voice” by gaining independence from Denmark and turning down Trump’s attempts to buy Greenland.

“We don’t want to be Danish, we don’t want to be American, we want to be Greenlandic,” he told a news conference on Friday.

Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said at the same meeting that Greenland’s desire for independence was “legitimate and understandable”, while calling US interest in the autonomous territory “positive”.

Frederiksen added that she wanted to keep together the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Denmark, Greenland and the autonomous territory of the Faroe Islands. “I personally believe that if we stand together, we are stronger in the global game,” she stressed. 

Trump this week refused to rule out using military force against a Nato ally to bring Greenland under US control as Washington seeks to counter rising Russian and Chinese interest in the Arctic.

The world’s largest non-continental island is already home to a US military base and is seen as central to Arctic security as well as being the start of two new subpolar shipping routes, and possessing large amounts of rare earths and other minerals.

Greenland, which has home rule over most matters except for foreign and security policy provided by Denmark, has long wanted independence but has struggled to find sufficient economic growth to cut ties with Copenhagen.

Egede, who has repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale, said that the territory was open to co-operating with the US as it long had done so, but insisted that its fate would be decided by Greenlanders. He said Trump’s military threat was “serious” but that Greenlanders had to avoid becoming “hysterical”.

“When I speak with another country’s leader, I have to be together with the Danish ambassador. These are the things where we want to have our own voice,” he added.

Frederiksen is seeking a meeting with Trump to discuss the matter, and said the president-elect had not raised the topic of Greenland with her when they spoke following his election victory in November.

“It’s positive for us to see the increasing US interest around Greenland . . . There is a need for closer co-operation on investments and business, and the exploitation of minerals. From the Danish side, we are happy to invest further in Greenland,” the Danish prime minister added.

Danish politicians including Frederiksen reacted with anger and ridicule when Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019. But they have responded in a much more nuanced manner this time around, insisting that the island is not for sale but that they are keen to co-operate with the US on the Arctic.

Danish ministers have conceded that they have not invested enough in the defence of Greenland where they only have four ships, a surveillance aircraft and some dog sled patrols. They have pledged up to $2bn in additional investments, but officials said privately that they are dependent on Nato and the US military to protect the island fully.

Chinese companies have tried to invest in Greenlandic airports and in several mining projects, but were rebuffed by the US and Denmark.