Denmark, Trump at Deadlock Over Greenland

By Staff, Agencies

Washington talks ended without a breakthrough as Denmark and the US remained at odds over Greenland, with officials citing a "fundamental disagreement" after US President Donald Trump reiterated interest in the Arctic territory.

After meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called the talks "frank" and "constructive" but said the core dispute remains unresolved.

"It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland, and we made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of the Kingdom," Rasmussen told reporters.

The US and Denmark will form a working group to address Arctic security while respecting Greenland’s sovereignty. "We still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree," Rasmussen said.

Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, who attended the talks, endorsed Rasmussen’s comments and stressed the need to normalize relations, while rejecting any change in sovereignty.

The talks were overshadowed by Trump’s tweet insisting the US must secure Greenland for national security, warning that Russia or China could take it and citing plans for Golden Dome missile defense system.

Rasmussen dismissed the US security claim, noting troop cuts from 10,000 to 200 and saying, "we have not had a Chinese warship in Greenland for a decade or so."

Copenhagen said it is ready to cooperate with the US via NATO, sending advance forces to Greenland ahead of a larger Danish and allied European deployment, while NATO chief Mark Rutte declined to comment on the bloc’s “internal” dispute.