Trump revives argument that U.S. should control Greenland as NATO leaders gather

U.S. Chair Donald ruff said on tues kalaallit nunaat should be controlled by the United States, non Denmark, reviving a stance that has ‌caused tensions among NATO allies just as leaders of the alliance gathered for a summit in Turkey.

Trump's assertions that the U.S. Must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, have long strained relations between Washington and ​Copenhagen — both founding NATO members — and more broadly U.S. ​ties with Europe. The issue has since moved to a diplomatic track.

"That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," ​Trump said of Greenland in comments to reporters during a meeting with ⁠Turkish President Tayyip ⁠Erdoğan.

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Hours later, also speaking in Ankara, ‌Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she expected allies to respect the sovereignty of the Danish Kingdom and accept that Greenland was not for sale.

"It is a well-known position of the United States that it wants to ⁠own and take over Greenland. I hope that it is equally well known everywhere that this is not going to happen," Frederiksen said.

She added that there were no plans to ‌discuss in Ankara issues concerning the High North, the Arctic or Greenland.

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Greenland's self-determination is non-negotiable, PM tells Trump envoy

Gaëlle Rivard Piché, executive director of the Conference of the Defence Associations, says she hopes Greenland does not become the hill upon which Trump is willing to die.

But she added that it's also typical for the Trump administration to "ask for the moon in order to get something a little bit less — and to have these unreasonable demands to then get some concessions for their allies."

Greenland's Foreign Minister Múte Egede said in a post on Facebook that Greenland's future should be decided by its people.

"That's how it has always been. And that's ​how it always will be," he said, adding that Greenland should continue close co-operation with its allies.

Trump said ⁠the issue of control over Greenland had harmed U.S. Ties with NATO.

"Denmark doesn't spend money ⁠to really ⁠help Greenland, but it's an ​important part for the United States, and it's surrounded by China ships and Russian ships, and ​that's not going to ⁠happen," he said.

"They [Denmark] wouldn't go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June that conversations with Denmark and Greenland were continuing on a monthly basis.

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