
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is set to visit Greenland on Wednesday for talks with the territory’s incoming government, following recent tensions over U.S. interest in the Arctic island. Frederiksen’s three-day visit comes less than a week after U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Greenland, which received a frosty response from both Danish and Greenlandic authorities. Incoming Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed Frederiksen’s visit, reaffirming Denmark as “Greenland’s closest partner.”
The relationship between Denmark and Greenland has been strained in recent years due to historical mistreatment of Greenlanders during colonial rule. However, growing international competition for influence in the Arctic, including former U.S. President Donald Trump’s past interest in acquiring Greenland, has pushed Denmark to strengthen ties with the island. Nielsen stated that Greenland seeks to maintain strong relations with Denmark while moving toward its long-term goal of sovereignty. He also emphasized the need for a respectful partnership with the U.S., rejecting suggestions of American control over the island.
During his visit to a U.S. military base in northern Greenland, Vance accused Denmark of failing to secure the territory and suggested the U.S. could provide better protection. Frederiksen dismissed his remarks as “not fair,” reiterating that Greenland’s future lies in the hands of its people. Opinion polls indicate that while most of Greenland’s 57,000 inhabitants support independence, many caution against moving too quickly, fearing economic instability and greater U.S. influence over the island’s affairs.
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