The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, stated this Sunday (11) that her country, Europe and allies are at a “crossroads” in the face of the “conflict” with the United States over control of Greenland.
The prime minister reiterated that the world as it has been known until now will end if American President Donald Trump decides to take by force the autonomous territory of Denmark, another NATO ally.
“We are at a crossroads and this is a decisive moment. If Americans turn their backs on the Western alliance by threatening an ally, then the world will come to a standstill,” said Frederiksen during a New Year’s Eve event for the Social Liberal Party, according to the broadcaster TV2.
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Frederiksen declined to answer whether Denmark has a plan if the US actually tries to take Greenland by force, as warned by Trump, and explained that there are many questions he does not want to answer publicly at this time.
The prime minister, who admitted that she had not spoken to Trump about Greenland since January last year, maintained that Denmark must make it clear that it will not make concessions on “fundamental values” at the meeting that will be held next week between the heads of Danish, Greenlandic and American diplomacy.
She agreed with Social Liberal Party leader Martin Lidegaard that Denmark must convince the US that not just the Nordic country, but all of Europe, takes the security situation in the Arctic seriously.
However, he acknowledged that he is not sure whether Denmark will be able to convince Trump that he cannot simply take over Greenland, according to the newspaper Berlingske.
Asked if she is seeking a meeting with Trump, Frederiksen said they can both be very direct when speaking, so it may not be the best idea for the two to talk right now.
On the other hand, she was satisfied with the support received from other NATO allies in the face of the “conflict” over Greenland with the United States. “There is a conflict around Greenland, unfortunately, I must add. We have received massive support from NATO countries and I am very pleased with that,” said the head of the Danish government.
Despite impasse over Greenland, US is still main ally, says prime minister
Despite everything, Frederiksen stressed that, today, the United States continues to be Denmark’s most important ally, although in his response he referred to the past, to the Second World War and the strong military presence in Europe at that time.
Lidegaard, on the other hand, considered that this scenario has changed and that he does not believe that Denmark will “recover the United States as we knew it”. “I believe that the EU and European countries are now our closest allies,” said the leader of the Social Liberal Party.
The leader of the Conservative Party, Mona Juul, stated that Denmark is in a “difficult situation”, but that it cannot do without the Americans either.
“The United States remains a strong ally and must continue to be so. We must also continue to make this clear to the Americans,” she highlighted, expressing satisfaction with the fact that “several” NATO countries are considering sending soldiers to Greenland in response to Trump’s claim that the Arctic island is not well protected against China and Russia.
