Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on Thursday evening that the forthcoming working group between Denmark, the United States and Greenland is to focus on a potential American takeover of Greenland.
This directly contradicts what Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Danish Foreign Minister) said on Wednesday evening.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said yesterday after the meeting with the Americans that they had agreed to disagree, and that the meeting had gone well “under the circumstances.”
The statement from the White House this evening—that the meeting did not change Trump’s position—aligns with the impression the foreign minister himself took away from the talks.
Speaking to DR Nyheder this evening, the foreign minister repeated that he is still “left with a sense that the American president continues to want to own Greenland.”
Løkke rules out takeover of Greenland
Lars Løkke Rasmussen states unequivocally in the interview that an American takeover of Greenland will not take place.
“That is not an option. We do not want it in Denmark, we do not want it in Greenland, and it would be contrary to all international rules.
“Moreover, it is not necessary in order to meet what were—at least as defined yesterday—the American interests,” he says.
However, there is agreement with the Americans on one point:
“We are facing long-term security challenges, and they must be addressed. That requires American engagement, but it does not require an American takeover of Greenland.”
Respect
DR’s US correspondent Kim Bildsøe has just spoken with Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and asked him about the White House’s statement that the new working group agreed upon after yesterday’s meeting is to “continue talks on a takeover of Greenland.”
“I am clearly left with the impression that the American president still wants to own Greenland. I also said that yesterday. That much is clear. It is a wish he has.”
Løkke adds that it is Denmark’s task to ensure that this wish is not realised.
“That is why what we agreed yesterday was to agree to disagree on this issue and to try to initiate a high-level dialogue with respect for the Kingdom of Denmark’s red lines. That is what we agreed,” the foreign minister stresses.