Greenland rejects US takeover 'under any circumstance': Government
"The United States has once again reiterated its desire to take over Greenland. This is something that the governing coalition in Greenland cannot accept under any circumstance," the Greenland government said.
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NUUK: Greenland's government on Monday (Jan 12) said it could not accept a US takeover of the Arctic island under "any circumstance", after US President Donald Trump said that the United States would take the territory "one way or the other".
Trump has repeatedly threatened to bring the island under US control, arguing that the Danish autonomous territory is crucial for national security.
"The United States has once again reiterated its desire to take over Greenland. This is something that the governing coalition in Greenland cannot accept under any circumstance," the Greenlandic government said in a statement.
On Sunday, Trump warned that if the United States didn't take Greenland, "Russia or China will, and I'm not letting that happen".
The US leader said he would be open to making a deal with the Danish self-governing island, "but one way or the other, we're going to have Greenland."
Last week, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement with Denmark to show their backing for Copenhagen and Greenland against Trump.
"On the basis of the very positive declaration from the six NATO member states regarding Greenland, the Government of Greenland will intensify efforts to ensure that the defence of Greenland is carried out within NATO," Monday's statement said.
"Greenland will always be part of the Western defence alliance," the government added.
Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump's threats over the strategic island, which has been home to a US military base since World War II.
A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland gained home rule 26 years later and is contemplating eventually loosening its ties with Denmark. Polls show that Greenland's people strongly oppose a US takeover.
Germany's foreign minister on Monday meanwhile played down the risk of a US attack on Greenland.
Asked after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about a unilateral military move by Trump, Johann Wadephul said: "I have no indication that this is being seriously considered."
"Rather, I believe there is a common interest in addressing the security issues that arise in the Arctic region, and that we should and will do so," he told reporters.
"NATO is only now in the process of developing more concrete plans on this, and these will then be discussed jointly with our US partners."
Wadephul's visit comes ahead of talks this week in Washington between Rubio and the top diplomats of Denmark and Greenland.
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