Denmark PM vows to defend Greenland after Trump revives push for U.S. control

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen connected Wednesday delivered a rebuke to President Donald Trump's latest push for U.S. power of Greenland, saying the Scandinavian state is acceptable to support "every inch" of its territory.

Speaking to reporters connected the 2nd time of the NATO summit successful Turkey's superior Ankara, Denmark's Frederiksen underscored the connection that Greenland is not for sale.

Her comments travel soon aft the U.S. president renewed his menace to question to get the self-governing Danish territory, suggesting that the U.S. could propulsion its troops retired of Europe successful effect to the region's continued pushback connected the issue.

"Our presumption is wide arsenic it has been each through. Greenland is, of course, not for sale," Frederiksen said. "We anticipation that all, including each allies, volition respect the Greenlandic people's close for self-determination and we are a sovereign state, and we request everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty."

Asked by CNBC's Steve Sedgwick whether Denmark was prepared to support Greenland militarily successful the lawsuit of an attack, Frederiksen replied: "We are acceptable to support each inch of NATO, including our ain territory."

She added: "One of the reasons wherefore we person built NATO many, galore years agone is if thing happens to 1 of us, past everybody should basal up for each other."

In a bilateral gathering with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan connected Tuesday, Trump said Europe's refusal to spell on with his expansionist tendency is "what wounded my narration with NATO."

Greenland "should beryllium controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," Trump said. "And erstwhile they wouldn't spell on with it, and with each the wealth we walk to assistance them with Russia — we don't person to walk immoderate money."

The U.S. president besides suggested that the state could region "all of our soldiers retired of Europe," earlier adding: "Because arsenic you astir apt noticed, Europe's a precise antithetic spot than it was 20 years ago."

Trump's pursuit of Greenland became a large trans-Atlantic contented astatine the commencement of the year, sparked by the president's repeated claims that the U.S. needed to get the island. Greenlandic lawmakers person insisted the land is not for sale.

Trump, who had refused to regularisation retired the usage of subject unit to annex Greenland, abruptly announced in precocious January, however, that helium and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had formed a "framework of a aboriginal deal" with respect to the territory.

A moving radical of representatives from the U.S., Denmark and Greenland person since been gathering to sermon adjacent steps.

Rutte said Wednesday that Trump "absolutely has a point" connected preventing China and Russia from gaining entree to the Arctic, referring to the U.S. president's assertion that Greenland is "surrounded" by Chinese and Russian ships.

"So, it is important that, arsenic an alliance, and this is what we agreed successful Davos, enactment unneurotic to marque definite that doesn't happen, and also, erstwhile it comes to Denmark and Greenland itself, we person a bully process successful place," Rutte said.