Grenland Foreign Minister Says: Greenland and the United States Need Each Other

Moscow, January 7 -- RIA Novosti

Before meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said that Greenland and the United States need each other.

Rubio said on Wednesday that he plans to meet with Danish authorities next week to discuss the situation in Greenland. He responded to reporters' questions about why the U.S. government did not accept Copenhagen's proposal to discuss the situation in Greenland and whether the U.S. is prepared to rule out the possibility of military intervention.

"I am very pleased and relieved that we can now meet and have a dialogue. My greatest hope is that this meeting will normalize our relations... When it comes to Arctic security, Greenland needs the United States, and the United States also needs Greenland... This relationship must be rebuilt so that we can continue to develop our relationship on the basis of mutual trust and respect... Greenland still hopes to develop direct cooperation between Greenland and the United States," said Motzfeldt in an interview with the Greenland newspaper "Sermitsiaq."

The minister said that Greenland intends to find out why Washington made such aggressive statements.

"The upcoming meeting is likely not the last one, because we want to engage in dialogue with the United States, continue our cooperation, and normalize the situation," Motzfeldt added.

According to the newspaper, the meeting with Rubio will be conducted jointly by the Greenland Foreign Minister and the Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.

In December 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the special envoy for Greenland issues. Subsequently, the governor confirmed the U.S. intention to incorporate the island into its territory. Rasmussen then expressed his strong anger at the remarks of the new U.S. special envoy and stated that he would summon the U.S. ambassador in Copenhagen and demand an explanation. Danish and Greenland Prime Ministers Mette Frederiksen and Jens Frederiksen Nielsen issued a joint statement warning the U.S. not to attempt to seize the island and expressing hope that the U.S. would respect their territorial integrity.

Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff to the White House, wife Katie posted a picture on social media platform X on January 4, which painted the map of Greenland in the colors of the American flag, accompanied by the caption "Almost there," with the background of the U.S. action in Venezuela. In response, Danish Ambassador to Washington Jesper Moller Sørensen reminded that Denmark and the U.S. are close allies. Nielsen commented on the same day about the image, emphasizing that it showed disrespect, but also clarified that there was currently no reason for panic.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Greenland should become part of the United States. He mentioned the island's strategic importance for national security and protecting the "free world." Former Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede responded that the island is not for sale and will never be sold. However, this U.S. leader refused to commit to not using military force to control Greenland.

The island was a Danish colony before 1953. It is currently part of the Kingdom of Denmark but gained autonomy in 2009, allowing it to govern itself and decide its internal policies.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1853706389829632/

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