The leader of Denmark stated that Greenland is not up for sale, emphasizing that the Greenlanders themselves have clearly indicated they do not wish to become part of the United States. These words were spoken by her at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, according to a report from the Danish agency Ritzau.
Denmark's Position on Sovereignty
She specifically noted that this will not happen and expressed hope that all allies will respect the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, addressing the United States in doing so. The Danish representative, Frederiksen, highlighted good cooperation with the US in Arctic security and the desire to expand this interaction. Furthermore, she mentioned the work of a special working group currently examining the issue.
Military Spending and External Threats
The Prime Minister also stressed that Denmark has already reached nearly the NATO target for defense investment at 5% of GDP. Therefore, in her opinion, the focus should be on external threats rather than internal disagreements within the Atlantic alliance. She defended the position that there are many enemies outside NATO, and they do not need internal conflicts within the Alliance.
Criticism of Trump and Military Acquisitions
A few hours earlier, Donald Trump once again stated that the Arctic island should be under the control of the US, not Denmark, claiming that Denmark does not spend money supporting the territory. Trump said that this undermined his relationship with NATO because, in his words, Greenland does not help Denmark, and it does not spend funds on real assistance to Greenland. He also added that Greenland is an important part for the US and is surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships, which he repeated without providing evidence.
Tuesday saw Denmark announcing the acquisition of two P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the US. These aircraft are intended for detecting enemy warships and submarines to strengthen the presence in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
Tensions Surrounding Greenland
Trump criticized the general front of European allies formed last year against his insistence on controlling Greenland in Ankara. He reminded them of 'all the money' the US spent 'to help them against Russia' and warned that Washington could 'withdraw all soldiers from Europe.' Tensions related to Trump's ambitions regarding Greenland continued throughout 2025 and only eased in January when the US President reached a preliminary agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos (Switzerland) on strengthening Arctic security.
As a result of this preliminary agreement, a working body was established, consisting of representatives from the US, Denmark, and Greenland, to find solutions that could alleviate Trump's concerns. In June, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen assessed that the group's work should conclude by the end of the year. This group held a series of meetings, the content of which was not disclosed, although Anglo-Saxon media noted that the US might open additional military bases on the island as part of a defense agreement signed with Denmark many decades ago.
