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The European Union is “not negotiating” on Greenland, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday, amid claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States needs to control Greenland for security purposes.
“We are not negotiating on Greenland. Of course we are supporting our member state, Denmark, and its autonomous region, Greenland, but we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs because this is not the situation right now,” Kallas told reporters after an EU foreign ministers’ meeting.
Greenland and Denmark have both publicly said the Arctic island is not for sale, with Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede saying that its people should decide their own future.
Denmark boosts Arctic defence spending by $2.1 billion
Meanwhile, Denmark said on Monday it would spend 14.6 billion Danish crowns ($2.05 billion) boosting its military presence in the Arctic, following renewed interest by U.S. President Donald Trump in controlling Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.
This month, Trump said Greenland is vital to U.S. security and Denmark must give up control of the strategically important Arctic island.
Following more than a decade of drastic cuts in defence spending, last year Denmark allocated 190 billion Danish crowns ($26 billion) for its military over a 10-year span, part of which has now been allocated to the Arctic.
Denmark, while responsible for Greenland’s security and defence, has limited military capabilities on the vast island, widely regarded as a security black hole.
Source: Reuters