Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared that Greenland is "not for sale" and vowed to defend the Danish territory's sovereignty after President Donald Trump reiterated his view that the United States should control the Arctic island for NATO defense.
Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Frederiksen stated, "We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people's right for self-determination." She added, "We are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty."
Trump, who has previously expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, stated that the island is "very important" for U.S. protection and global security, asserting it should be controlled by the United States rather than Denmark. He suggested that Denmark does not adequately support Greenland and noted its strategic importance in a region increasingly influenced by Russia and China.
"Greenland is of course not for sale," Frederiksen told reporters, emphasizing Denmark's commitment to defending all NATO territory, including its own.
The dispute over Greenland injected a point of territorial tension into a NATO summit where Trump had already been pressing allies to increase their defense spending and take greater responsibility for Europe's security.
Trump expressed disappointment with NATO allies for not adequately supporting U.S. initiatives, citing the Greenland situation as a factor that strained his relationship with the alliance. He also referenced recent U.S. air strikes against Iran, stating that the U.S. did not require assistance for those operations.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte attempted to address Trump's concerns about defense spending, noting that European allies and Canada had recently made significant new financial commitments to the alliance. Rutte acknowledged that Trump's pressure had been instrumental in these increases.
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is a member of NATO. Trump's pursuit of U.S. control over the island has faced repeated opposition from Danish and Greenlandic officials, who maintain that the island's future should be determined by its inhabitants.
Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir also commented, stating that Greenland's people do not wish to become part of the United States and urged NATO leaders to maintain focus on other security challenges.
The NATO summit was also slated to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Ukraine's aspirations to join the alliance. However, Trump's remarks on Greenland highlighted the challenges NATO faces in projecting unity against external threats while navigating internal disputes among its member states.