Denmark's foreign minister has said there is a fundamental disagreement with the US over Greenland after talks at the White House.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the meeting with Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday had been frank but constructive. But he added that US President Trump was insisting on conquering Greenland which was totally unacceptable.
We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of [Denmark], he said.
Trump afterwards reiterated his interest in acquiring the resource-rich island, a position that has rattled allies across Europe and stoked tensions with NATO.
The hour-long meeting between the US, Denmark, and Greenland failed to bring a major breakthrough, although all sides agreed to set up a high-level working group to discuss the future of the autonomous Danish territory.
Rasmussen said there were red lines the US could not cross, and the working group would meet in the coming weeks in an effort to find a compromise. He added that Denmark and Greenland were open to the possibility of the US opening more military bases on the island.
Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland's location makes it well-placed for early warning systems against missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the Arctic region.
Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security. The US is currently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland's north-western tip, which it has operated since World War Two.
After the meeting, Denmark vowed to send armed forces to the island. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greenland, Vivian Motzfeldt, reiterated the territory's openness to greater cooperation with the US but firmly opposed any form of takeover.
As tensions simmer in Washington, other European allies are quick to show solidarity with Greenland. Sweden pledged to send forces at Denmark's request, while France plans to open a consulate on the island next month. Germany has also expressed intentions to send a reconnaissance team to explore possible military contributions in support of Denmark.
The recent discussions further reflect Trump's ongoing interest in Greenland, raising questions about potential military actions and the administration's controversial stance on international relations concerning the territory.
