Danish PM Mette Frederiksen in Greenland for ‘present of assist’

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<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f167/live/d4eadac0-f887-11f0-b5f7-49f0357294ff.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, wearing a puffer jacket with the collar up, smiles and looks towards Greenland PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who stands in profile at the right of the picture." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters Frederiksen (left) mentioned there was now a "diplomatic, political observe" to pursue after a troublesome week

Danish PM Mette Frederiksen is visiting Greenland's capital Nuuk for talks with the territory's chief, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, after a rollercoaster week that noticed US President Donald Trump roll again his threats to forcibly take over the Arctic island and comply with additional negotiations.

Tensions had risen precariously over the previous couple of weeks, till a shocking turnaround on Wednesday, when Trump immediately dominated out navy motion, and withdrew his threats to slap tariffs on a number of European allies.

Trump posted on social media {that a} "framework of a future take care of respect to Greenland" had been reached, following his assembly with Nato chief Mark Rutte on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos.

Nevertheless, few particulars have been given, and there are questions on what precisely was agreed between the US president and the secretary normal.

The Danish prime minister travelled immediately from Brussels, the place she additionally met face-to-face with Rutte earlier on Friday morning. In response to Rutte's put up on X, they agreed "to reinforce deterrence and defence within the Arctic".

After touchdown at Nuuk airport, Frederiksen was greeted on the tarmac by Nielsen, who gave her a hug.

"I'm at the beginning in Greenland at present to indicate our sturdy Danish assist for the Greenlandic individuals," she informed reporters. "It is a very troublesome time, everybody can see that."

"It's a critical state of affairs we're in. Everybody can see that. Now there's a diplomatic, political observe that we are going to pursue," she mentioned. Her journey was a "working" go to to organize their "subsequent steps," she mentioned.

On Thursday, Trump informed Fox Information that the US "will get every thing we would like for free of charge" and {that a} "piece" of his deliberate "Golden Dome" missile defence system could be positioned on Greenland.

When requested if this was an precise "acquisition", he answered: "It is whole entry. There isn't any finish, there is not any time restrict."

Beforehand the New York Occasions reported that one concept below dialogue was Denmark ceding sovereignty over small pockets of land the place the US would construct navy bases.

Danish and Greenlandic officers have pushed again strongly in opposition to giving up any type of possession, and repeatedly acknowledged that sovereignty is a "pink line".

Forward of an emergency European summit within the Belgian capital on Thursday night, Frederiksen mentioned that Greenland's sovereignty was non-negotiable, although Denmark was keen to work on "safety".

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d13e/live/5225c3a0-f889-11f0-a422-4ba8a094a8fa.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, in the centre of the picture wearing a light-brown puffer jacket, walks with the Greenland prime minister and a large crowd towards the camera on an ice-covered street in Nuuk with houses and a church in the background." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters Frederiksen (centre-left in light-brown) has described Greenland's sovereignty as a "pink line"

The US has round 150 navy personnel at its single Pituffik base within the north-western tip of the territory.

Underneath a defence pact with Denmark, relationship again to 1951, the US can already construct up its navy presence and deploy additional troops.

That was up to date in 2004, collectively with the Bush administration, to incorporate Greenland as an equal companion to the deal.

AFP has reported that sources aware of talks had mentioned the US and Denmark would renegotiate the 1951 settlement.

Danish nationwide newspaper Berlingske additionally writes {that a} renegotiation is feasible, that the Danish and Greenlandic sides haven't dominated out revising that deal. Nevertheless, mineral rights or the give up of territory have by no means been on the desk.

The BBC has reached out to Denmark's Ministry of Defence, which declined to remark.

In the meantime Danish International Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen mentioned on Friday there had been no detailed plan, however that negotiations would begin quickly, specializing in "safety, safety, and safety".