Greenland has always been a place of great interest to world powers. Its location and resources make it valuable, and in recent years, the United States has shown increasing interest.
Now, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is set to visit Greenland from April 2-4 for discussions with its newly formed government. She announced this trip on Saturday.
"I look forward to continuing the close and trust-based cooperation between Greenland and Denmark," Frederiksen said in a statement, writes Hotnews.
Tensions between Denmark and the United States have been rising over Greenland.
On Friday, during a visit to a US military base in northern Greenland, US Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark's handling of the island’s security.
He suggested that the United States could do a better job of protecting it. This statement came just hours after Greenland’s new coalition government was formed.
The government is led by Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who called Denmark the territory’s "closest ally."
Frederiksen pushed back against Vance’s remarks. She stated that Denmark takes Greenland’s security seriously and that the future of Greenland should be in the hands of its people.
"I have the deepest respect for how the Greenlandic people and Greenlandic politicians are handling the enormous pressure on Greenland," she said in a statement on Saturday.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, also responded to Vance’s criticism.
He made it clear that while Denmark is open to discussions, he did not appreciate the way the US vice president addressed the issue.
"We are open to criticism, but to be honest, we do not appreciate the tone in which it was made.
This is not the way to address close allies, and I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies," Rasmussen said in a video posted on X.
Rasmussen also pointed to the 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the United States.
He said this agreement already allows the US to have a strong military presence in Greenland.
"If that's what you want, let's discuss it," he added, referring to the deal that regulates the US military’s role on the island.
Greenland remains a place of strategic importance. As world powers continue to watch it closely, its government and people will play a key role in deciding its future.
