Copenhagen: Denmark and Greenland presented a united position on Tuesday, dismissing any outside claims to Greenland in advance of critical discussions in Washington. The show of alignment followed a warning from Germany that an American attempt to secure control of the Arctic territory would mark an unprecedented moment for NATO.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen appeared together in Copenhagen. The two leaders presented a shared stance that Greenland’s future is not open to negotiation with any foreign power, according to reports.
Frederiksen said the matter went beyond the immediate dispute. She argued that borders cannot be redrawn by coercion. She stated that nations cannot be bought or traded. She highlighted that smaller states should not be intimidated by larger ones. She also described the position as defending the international system that supports democracies worldwide. Frederiksen stressed that the three parts of the Danish Realm remain linked, and she addressed viewers in Greenland directly, saying that Denmark stands with them.
Nielsen restated Greenland’s position just as firmly. He said Greenland has no desire to join the US. He explained that Greenland seeks cooperation and dialogue, not confrontation. He pointed to respect for constitutional arrangements, international law, the right of the Greenlandic people to manage their own territory, and their right to decide their political future.
The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers, Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Vivian Motzfeldt, are scheduled to take part in discussions in Washington. They are expected to meet US Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Talks are happening while pressure between the parties has been rising. Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has spoken openly about wanting to obtain Greenland. He has repeatedly left open the possibility of force.
Meanwhile, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday that any US effort to take control of Greenland would be without precedent in NATO or in any other defense pact. He shared the assessment during a briefing in Berlin with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Kallas said European states were discussing the situation and reviewing options available to them. She did not outline which responses were under consideration.
Pistorius restated support for Denmark’s sovereignty. He described Greenland’s safety and stability as a NATO responsibility. He added that allies are assessing how to reinforce the protection of the territory within the alliance.
