US President Donald Trump said the US should ‘own’ Greenland to prevent Russia and China from doing so.
In response to a question from the BBC, Trump said: “The country has to take ownership and we have to defend that ownership. We’re not defending the lease. We’ve got to defend Greenland.”
We will do this “the easy way” or “the hard way,” he added. The White House recently said the administration was considering purchasing the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member, but would not rule out the option of annexing it by force.
Denmark and Greenland have said the territory is not for sale. Denmark said the military action would spell the end of the transatlantic defense alliance.
Despite being the most sparsely populated region, Greenland’s location between North America and the Arctic makes it ideal for establishing early warning systems in case of missile attacks and for monitoring ships in the area.
The US president has repeatedly said Greenland is vital to US national security and claimed without evidence that it is “covered all over with Russian and Chinese ships.”
The United States already has more than 100 soldiers permanently stationed at the Pitupik base in northwestern Greenland. This facility has been operated by the United States since World War II.
Under an existing agreement with Denmark, the United States has the authority to send as many troops as it wants to Greenland.
But President Trump told reporters in Washington that the lease agreement alone was not enough.
“Countries cannot do nine-year deals, or even 100-year deals,” he said, adding that they must take ownership.
“I love the Chinese people and the Russian people,” President Trump said. “But I don’t want them to be Greenland’s neighbors. That’s not going to happen.”
“But NATO has come to understand that,” the US president added.
Denmark’s NATO allies – Canada as well as major European countries – have come together to support this, with a statement this week saying “only Denmark and Greenland can decide on issues concerning their relationship.”
They emphasized that they are as committed as the United States to Arctic security, saying this must be achieved “jointly” by allies, including the United States.
They also called for “upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders.”
Concerns about the future of the territory resurfaced after President Trump used military force to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.
President Trump offered to purchase the island during his first term as president in 2019, but received a response that it was not for sale.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to hold talks with Denmark next week.
Recently, as glaciers have melted due to climate change, interest in Greenland’s natural resources such as rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron has increased. Scientists believe there may be significant oil and gas reserves here.
