Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute B. Egede, stated on Monday that the country is prepared to enhance cooperation with the United States under President-elect Donald Trump’s leadership, as reported by local broadcaster KNR.
“We are open to increased trade, particularly in mining, and this will continue in the coming years. We must engage with the US,” Egede said.
“We have already initiated dialogue and are exploring opportunities for collaboration with Trump,” he added.
Egede acknowledged that many countries are likely to seek engagement with Greenland due to its key geopolitical position.
“It’s important to avoid military conflict. Initially, it was concerning to hear such talk, but the vice president clarified that there is no interest in using force,” he said, referencing comments made by US Vice President-elect JD Vance, who emphasized Greenland’s strategic value and abundant resources while dismissing the use of military force in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.
Egede emphasized Greenland’s strategic position in the Arctic, noting that major powers like the United States, Russia, and China will likely seek influence in the region.
He called for broader cooperation in light of global tensions. “Greenland is not immune to the tensions in the world. At the moment, Greenland is caught between two large Arctic powers. While this could be seen as a threat, it also presents an opportunity for greater cooperation,” he stated.
Recently, Denmark proposed that President-elect Trump enhance security in Greenland, including increasing the US military presence, in private discussions with his team, according to a report from Axios on Saturday. The Danish government aims to address Trump’s security concerns to prevent him from attempting to seize the island, as Denmark seeks to avoid a diplomatic clash with the US while maintaining its alliance with Washington in both NATO and the European Union.
In a post on his Truth Social platform in December, Trump, set to take office on January 20, called the control of Greenland an “absolute necessity” for the US, reiterating his desire to incorporate the island into the United States.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded by saying she plans to initiate talks with Trump about his comments on Greenland, expressing her belief that the president-elect would not attempt to forcibly seize the Arctic territory.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979. Positioned between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, it houses a US military base and is of great strategic significance, providing the shortest route between North America and Europe.
