support@headlinenews360.com
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede said he is ready to talk with US President-elect Donald Trump about the future of the mineral-rich arctic territory but also said that they have no intention of becoming Americans.
This statement came after the incoming President had expressed his interest in American control over Greenland.
At a press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Friday, Egede indicated that while he had not directly communicated with Trump, he remained receptive to discussions about shared interests.
“We are ready to talk,” he said. “Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work toward solutions.”
“We don’t want to be Danes, we don’t want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlandic. And of course it is the Greenlandic people who decide their future,” Egede added.
He said these statements standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksenrepresenting Denmark, which has maintained colonial control over Greenland since the 1700s. The island’s 57,000 residents gained the right to pursue independence from Denmark through a referendum in 2009.
Trump’s interest in Greenland, initially expressed during his presidency, has resurfaced as he approaches his January 20 inauguration.
The president-elect believed that acquiring Greenland, similar to his aspirations for the Panama Canal, would strengthen America’s position against Russia and China. His son Donald Trump Jr. recently visited Greenland privately, receiving support from pro-MAGA locals.
Frederiksen indicated her intention to meet Mr. Trump post-inauguration.
According to Axios, Danish officials are working to address Trump’s concerns about Chinese and Russian naval presence through alternative measures, such as enhanced security or increased American military presence. The US currently maintains Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland.
While Egede supports independence aspirations, he emphasised that despite being open to discussions with Mr. Trump, Greenland’s sovereignty remains paramount.
“We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the master of our own house. … This is something everyone should respect,” Egede said. “Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic.”
