Greenland is not for sale, Denmark’s PM reaffirms

BRUSSELS,— Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly stated on Monday that Greenland is not for sale, following comments from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week that President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring the island was “not a joke.”

“Greenland is today a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is part of our territory, and it is not for sale,” Frederiksen said ahead of an informal meeting with EU leaders in Brussels.

Trump has previously expressed interest in making Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, part of the United States. He has not ruled out the possibility of using military or economic pressure to convince Denmark to transfer the island.

While rejecting the idea of a sale, Frederiksen acknowledged the growing importance of the Arctic region in terms of security and defense. “So if this is about securing our part of the world, we can find a way forward,” she said, referring to the security concerns in the region.

According to reports, U.S. President Donald Trump in January had not dismissed the possibility of using military or economic means to acquire both the Panama Canal and Greenland.

His remarks reflect a broader, controversial expansionist stance that he has expressed since winning the November 5 election.

(With files from Reuters)