British News Agency

This statement by Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, made at a joint press conference with Denmark’s Prime Minister, was the strongest yet by a representative of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory, since US President Donald Trump renewed his plan to annex Greenland.

Asked later on Tuesday what he thought of Nielsen’s remarks, Trump said: “That’s their problem, I don’t agree with him… That will be a big problem for him.”

Trump says the United States needs to “own” Greenland for defense against Russia and China. The White House proposed buying the island, but Trump has not ruled out the use of force for annexation.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whose country is a NATO member, has warned that the use of military force would spell the end of the transatlantic defense alliance.

Despite being one of the least densely populated regions, Greenland’s location between North America and the Arctic makes it well suited for early-warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring ships in the region.

At the press conference in Denmark’s capital Copenhagen, Frederiksen did not hold back in condemning “the completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally.”

“There are many signs that the most difficult part is still ahead of us,” she warned.

The Greenlandic Prime Minister said they are “facing a geopolitical crisis,” adding: “If we had to choose right now between the United States and Denmark, we would choose Denmark.”

“One thing should be clear to everyone. Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States,” he added.

The press conference in Copenhagen took place one day before Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt traveled to the United States to meet Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.