Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
He made these remarks during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to CNN.
Trump argued that Greenland is of strategic importance to U.S. security.
However, he acknowledged that such a development “would damage” his relationship with NATO.
He also stated that Denmark is not investing enough in Greenland and warned that the island’s location makes it increasingly important as China and Russia expand their presence in the Arctic.
“Greenland isn’t helping Denmark; Denmark isn’t spending money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part of the United States. Greenland should be under U.S. control, not Denmark’s,” the U.S. president concluded.
Greenland Is Not for Sale
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest remarks on Greenland ahead of the NATO leaders’ meeting, emphasizing that Denmark is ready to defend its territory.
The prime minister confirmed that she had heard the remarks by the U.S. president, who once again asserted territorial claims to Greenland. “I heard the U.S. president’s speech yesterday. Unfortunately, the U.S. position on this issue is very clear, but our position is just as clear as it has always been,” she said. “Greenland is not for sale, and we hope that everyone, including our allies, will understand this.”
The Danish prime minister expressed hope that the U.S. would take into account the will of the Greenlandic people to remain part of Denmark, but also emphasized that Denmark is prepared to defend itself if necessary.
“We are ready to defend every meter of NATO territory, including our own. Meanwhile, one of the reasons we established NATO many years ago was the idea that if something happens to one member of the alliance, all the others must support it,” Mette Frederiksen stated.
She also noted that Article 5 of the NATO Washington Treaty was invoked in favor of the United States when America was subjected to a terrorist attack.
