(Jan 12): Greenland faces a decisive week that could shape its future as top diplomats from Denmark and the semi-autonomous territory are set to hold high-level talks with the US in Washington, alongside parallel discussions involving Germany.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, when he’ll address the issue of Greenland and what role the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) can play in the region’s stability. On Wednesday, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt will get their turn with Rubio, Danish broadcaster TV2 reported, citing a calendar from the US Department of State.
At stake is how to defuse President Donald Trump’s renewed threats on Greenland and to help reset strained ties with the US over the strategic island. The spat has prompted Trump to level fresh criticism towards other members of Nato, after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said a Greenland takeover would destroy the alliance.
Concerns over the US administration’s military ambitions have intensified by its raid to capture the leader of Venezuela this month, as well as heightened rhetoric on possibly using military force to control Greenland. That’s forced European leaders to quickly cobble together a strategy.
A group of European countries, led by the UK and Germany, is discussing plans for a military presence in Greenland to show Trump that the continent is serious about Arctic security and to try to tamp down American threats to take over the self-ruling Danish territory.
Trump on Sunday again insisted that the US will get Greenland “one way or another”.
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“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland and I’m not going to let that happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Meanwhile, a group of US senators are set to meet with the Danish parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee and Greenland Committee in Copenhagen on Friday, TV2 reported. Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, a Republican with decades of experience in Arctic affairs, is joining the group.
Greenland’s premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen is also scheduled to visit the Danish capital for a new year’s event on Thursday.
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The US Department of State calendar notes that changes to the schedule may occur, TV2 said. The Danish foreign ministry declined to comment on Lokke Rasmussen and Motzfeldt’s reported meeting with Rubio.
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