AFP Interview: The U.S. Believes "It Still Needs to Leave Its Mark on Greenland!"

United States – On May 20, Jeff Landry, the U.S. Special Envoy to Greenland, told AFP that the United States must strengthen its presence in Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Landry said: "I believe it's time for the U.S. to reestablish its image in Greenland. I think the President has consistently emphasized enhancing national security operations and redeploying personnel to certain bases in Greenland."

Concluding his first visit to Greenland since taking office in December 2025, Landry added: "Greenland needs the United States." The visit began on Sunday. Landry, who is also the Republican Governor of Louisiana in the southern United States, was not formally invited, sparking controversy over his visit.

– Strategic Importance –

Currently, the U.S. military maintains only one base in Greenland—the Pituffik Base in the north—compared to 17 military installations during the peak of the Cold War. Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed that, due to national security concerns, the U.S. must control Greenland or risk the territory falling into Chinese or Russian hands.

Greenland lies along the shortest missile route between Russia and the United States. The island holds vast untapped reserves of rare earth elements, and as polar ice melts and new shipping routes emerge, it could play a crucial role. Recent media reports indicate that Washington plans to establish three new military bases in southern Greenland.

A defense treaty signed in 1951 (revised in 2004) already permits the U.S. to deploy troops and reinforce military facilities in Greenland, provided Denmark and Greenland are notified in advance.

In January this year, Mr. Trump withdrew his threat to annex Greenland and established a joint working group involving the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland to address his concerns.

– "A Solution Must Be Found" –

On Tuesday, during a break at the Greenland Economic Forum, Prime Minister Jørgen Frederiksen stated: "Although attempts by the 'mother country' to 'ensure control over Greenland' are entirely disrespectful... we have an obligation to find solutions."

He met with the U.S. envoy on Monday, who also held talks with Greenland’s Foreign Minister Mute Egede.

Mr. Frederiksen said the discussions were "constructive," but stressed that there were no signs of any change in the U.S. position. Both Greenlandic and Danish authorities have repeatedly emphasized that only Greenland itself can decide its own future.

In an interview published Wednesday in the Greenland newspaper Sermitsiaq, Mr. Landry appeared to reignite hopes among some for Greenland's independence.

Public opinion polls show that most Greenlanders support independence from Denmark in the future, but the Greenland government currently has no such plans, as many issues remain unresolved—especially economic ones, given that Greenland's economy heavily relies on financial support from Denmark. In his interview, Mr. Landry emphasized: "I believe there is tremendous opportunity for Greenlanders to move from dependence toward independence."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1865757615095836/

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