Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has said that Denmark, together with Greenland, proposed a NATO mission in the Arctic to Secretary General Mark Rutte, amid US threats to take over the autonomous Danish territory.
Poulsen spoke to reporters on Monday at a joint press conference with Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt after they met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in Brussels.
Claiming that Denmark and Greenland have proposed a NATO mission in the Arctic to Rutte, Poulsen said: "We have discussed it and also proposed it."
However, he did not say how Rutte responded to the proposal, foreign media write, reports Telegraph.
Poulsen also reaffirmed that they will continue the dialogue with US officials, emphasizing that it will not be Denmark that "gives up on insisting on dialogue."
"If the United States were to withdraw from NATO tomorrow, we would face a huge challenge in our own management," he was quoted as saying, underlining that some of the statements coming from Trump "really hurt."
While Motzfeldt reiterated that "all doors remain open" through cooperation and development "with a focus on mutual defense" between allies, and that their defense is "interlocked with the defense of the United States."
"For us, the people of Greenland, the most important aspect of our participation is to be able to speak on behalf of the people of Greenland, while also contributing to finding good solutions in their interest. We have done this job in a good way," she added.
Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about increasing Russian and Chinese activity.
Trump has repeatedly said that the US should buy Greenland for national security and to prevent Russia or China from gaining control of the territory.
He has also threatened tariffs on allies who oppose this proposal.
Both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island. /Telegrafi/
