Rubio says at Munich Security Conference that the US and Europe are ‘one body’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a conciliatory tone at the Munich Security Conference, saying the United States and Europe were “united.”
MUNICH, GERMANY – The leaders of Denmark and Greenland do not believe the crisis over Arctic territory is over and believe President Donald Trump remains “very serious” about gaining Arctic territory.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen attended the Munich Security Conference on February 14 and commented on Denmark’s semi-autonomous island.
Asked during a panel discussion how he would explain the situation now that formal talks have begun on the issue, Frederiksen said: “I think the president of the United States wants exactly the same thing.” “He’s very serious about this,” she said.
“We can’t put our heads down,” Nielsen said in response to the same question about whether the meeting would appease Trump. He said President Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland “still exists.”
Even though the two leaders said they had constructive discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the meeting, concerns about President Trump’s interest in Greenland persist. The United States, Denmark and Greenland began talks in late January to resolve the diplomatic crisis.
But virtually no details of the discussions have been made public, other than Trump’s statement at the World Economic Forum last month that a “framework for a future agreement on Greenland” had been agreed upon.
Greenland and Denmark are amazing
The announcement appears to have surprised Denmark and Greenland. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte later clarified that he had not discussed Greenland’s sovereignty with Trump.
“I hope we can find a solution to all of this,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters, including USA TODAY, on the sidelines of a meeting in the capital of Germany’s Bavaria state.
Nielsen said this narrative has taken a toll on Greenlanders, who have repeatedly shown in public opinion polls that while they ultimately want independence from Denmark, they have no interest in becoming American.
“When I think about our people, we’re very proud. We live in a harsh environment, we’re resilient, we live in land that no one could live on for years and years. There’s a reason we were left behind,” Nielsen joked during a discussion on Arctic security. His remarks drew laughter from the audience.
He added: “The paradox is that the people of Greenland have never felt threatened before, and now that our allies are talking about taking over and purchasing Greenland, for the first time, they truly feel threatened. It’s outrageous.”
Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to work with the Trump administration to find a solution, but “of course there are things we cannot compromise on.” She cited national sovereignty and territorial integrity as two of them.
A senior Greenland official previously told USA TODAY that President Trump’s idea that the United States could effectively take ownership of U.S. military bases in Greenland also represents a “red line that should not be crossed.”
Frederiksen said the revision of the 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the United States is likely to provide a “very easy” way for the U.S. government to “have a stronger footprint in Greenland.” President Trump has said his desire to acquire Greenland is driven by a combination of national security strategy and access to natural resources.
NATO announced on February 11 that it had launched a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic as part of efforts to ease tensions within the alliance caused by President Trump’s push to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
“I don’t think it’s over,” Frederiksen said in Munich.
