US Vice President J.D. Vance accused Denmark on Friday of not doing enough to protect Greenland when he visited the strategically located, resource-rich Danish territory coveted by US President Donald Trump.
Vance made his remarks during a visit to the Pituffik space base in northwest Greenland, a visit that Copenhagen and Nuuk viewed as a provocation.
“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have failed to do your job in the interests of the people of Greenland,” Vance said at a news conference.
“You have not invested enough in the people of Greenland and in the security architecture of this incredibly beautiful region,” he added.
Trump argues that the United States needs the vast Arctic island for national and international security, and refuses to rule out the use of force to obtain it.
“We're not talking about peace for the United States. We're talking about world peace. We're talking about international security,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.
Asked about the possible use of force, Vance stressed that the US administration does not believe it will “ever be necessary.”
“We think it makes sense, and because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we can make a Donald Trump-style deal to keep that territory safe and the United States of America safe,” Vance said.
Vance was accompanied by his wife Usha, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Utah Senator Mike Lee and former Homeland Security Adviser Julia Nesheiwat, who is Waltz's wife.
The American delegation boarded Air Force Two to leave Greenland shortly before 19:00 CET, with the Vances waving at the top of the steps.
“Unacceptable pressure”
Danish and Greenlandic officials, backed by the European Union, insist that the United States will not get Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the US decision to visit the Arctic island without an invitation – initially intended as a broader visit for representatives of Greenlandic society – as “unacceptable pressure” on Greenland and Denmark.
A majority of Greenlanders oppose the annexation of the island by the United States, according to a poll conducted in January.
Pituffik is a critical part of Washington's missile defense infrastructure, and its location in the Arctic makes it the shortest route for missiles launched from Russia into the United States.
Until 2023, it was called Thule Air Base and served as a warning point for possible attacks from the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
It is also a strategic location for aerial and underwater surveillance in the Northern Hemisphere.
In January, Copenhagen said it would spend nearly $2.0 billion to strengthen its presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic by acquiring specialized vessels and surveillance equipment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he considered Trump's plans for Greenland “serious.”
He expressed concern that “NATO countries as a whole increasingly view the High North as a springboard for potential conflicts.”
Greenland has a population of 57,000, most of whom are Inuit.
It is believed to contain vast untapped mineral and oil reserves, although oil and uranium exploration is prohibited.
“Not showing respect”
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former mining executive, told Fox News on Thursday that he hopes the United States and Greenland can cooperate on mining to “create jobs and economic opportunities for Greenland and provide important minerals and resources for the United States.”
Trump's desire to seize the ice-covered territory, which seeks independence from Denmark, has been roundly rejected by Greenlanders, their politicians and Danish officials.
Although all of Greenland's political parties advocate independence, none of them support the idea of joining the United States.
Just hours before the US delegation arrived in Greenland, it was announced that a new broad four-party coalition government had been formed following elections earlier this month.
New Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory now needed unity.
“It is very important that we put aside our differences and disagreements… because only in this way will we be able to cope with the strong pressure we are under from outside,” he said, introducing the composition of his government.
Nielsen said that by visiting Greenland when there was no functioning government there, the US administration “disrespected an ally.”
Usha Vance originally planned to travel to Greenland with just her son and attend the dog sled races in the town of Sisimiut.
Local residents said they planned to give her the cold shoulder and stage several protests.
The visit to Sisimiut was then cancelled and replaced by a visit to a military base.
Source: Source
