Oslo, January 15 – Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared on Thursday that disagreements with the United States over Greenland remain unresolved. Speaking after recent high-stakes discussions in Washington, she described the meeting as challenging, emphasizing that America’s ambition to control the strategic Arctic island persists despite Denmark’s firm opposition.
In her first public comments following Wednesday’s talks, Frederiksen issued a statement thanking her foreign and Greenland ministers for staunchly defending Denmark’s position. ‘It was not an easy meeting,’ she said. ‘I want to thank both ministers for clearly and firmly presenting the realm’s stance and countering the American claims. This was extremely important.’
Frederiksen announced the formation of a working group to address the issue but stressed that fundamental differences endure. ‘This does not change the fact that the basic disagreement remains, as the US ambition to take control of Greenland persists,’ she noted. ‘This is clearly a serious matter, and we will continue our efforts to prevent this scenario from becoming reality.’
The Washington meeting involved Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, who met with US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Frederiksen underscored that ‘the defense and security of Greenland is a shared concern for the entire NATO alliance.’
Amid rising tensions, European Union partners and NATO allies are ramping up political and military support for Greenland. This comes against the backdrop of growing security concerns in the Arctic, particularly after recent statements from US President Donald Trump expressing interest in acquiring the island.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday during a New Year’s address at Istres Air Base that France would deploy additional ‘land, air, and naval resources’ to Greenland in the coming days. Earlier, on social media platform X, Macron confirmed France’s participation in joint military exercises hosted by Denmark in Greenland at Copenhagen’s request. ‘The first French military contingent has already departed, and others will follow shortly,’ he stated.
The Netherlands’ Defense Ministry also declared its involvement in a Danish-led reconnaissance mission. Germany announced on Wednesday that 13 Bundeswehr personnel would join a multinational reconnaissance effort in Greenland at Denmark’s invitation. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed the deployment of Swedish troops, while Norway announced sending two military officers to outline further cooperation among allies.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, falls under Copenhagen’s control for defense and foreign affairs. The US maintains a military base there. Since returning to power in 2025, President Trump has repeatedly voiced desires to acquire Greenland, intensifying his rhetoric in recent weeks.