Denmark tells US: Greenland is not for sale

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a strong statement ahead of the NATO summit, calling for Europe to rearm and bolster the alliance. "We need a stronger NATO," she declared, stressing the need for a robust industrial defense base alongside the United States. Frederiksen also urged increased support for Ukraine, stating, "We must help Ukraine more, increase pressure on Russia, and ensure that the only rightful winner of this war is Ukraine."

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We need a stronger NATO.

Frederiksen specifically addressed the United States' approach to Greenland, asserting, "Greenland is of course not for sale." She emphasized that Denmark expects all allies, including the U.S., to respect the self-determination rights of the Greenlandic people. "We are a sovereign state; everyone must respect our territorial integrity and sovereignty," she added, vowing to defend every inch of NATO territory, including Denmark's own.

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We must help Ukraine more, increase pressure on Russia, and ensure that the only rightful winner of this war is Ukraine.

She reaffirmed Denmark's commitment to NATO's collective defense principle, Article 5, stating, "If something happens to one of us, everyone must stand up for each other." This principle, she noted, applies to the eastern flank facing Russia, as it did when the U.S. was attacked on 9/11, and extends to Greenland.

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Greenland is of course not for sale.

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir supported this stance, stating, "Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. They do not want to be part of the United States. They are quite clear about that." Jakobsdóttir also called for a shift in focus, urging that discussions should center on the Russian threat rather than the issue of Greenland, noting NATO's strengthened position with more members and resources.

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We are a sovereign state; everyone must respect our territorial integrity and sovereignty.