Sergi Reboredo/VWPics via AP Images, zz/Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx
Múte Egede, the Prime Minister of Greenland, told reporters Friday he is “ready to talk” with President-elect Donald Trump amid the latter’s continued comments about acquiring the mineral-rich territory.
Trump and some of his surrogates in the media have spent weeks discussing acquiring Greenland, claiming acquiring it is vital to defending the North Atlantic. Trump has said the financial burden of protecting the world’s largest island cannot go on any longer as he tries to put the screws to the country’s NATO allies.
Trump ally Robert O’Brien notably commented recently that Greenland could be merged with Alaska. The autonomous area, which is owned by Denmark, is seeking independence from Copenhagen, Egede said last month.
Friday, Greenland’s leader told reporters at a press conference in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that he wants to start a dialogue with Trump.
Per Axios, Egede said, “Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish,
During the same conference, per The Hill, Egede was asked if he had talked to Trump. He said the two had not spoken but he was open to doing so:
Egede was asked during a press conference in Copenhagen on Friday if he was in touch with the president-elect. He said no, but added that “we are ready to talk.”
Axios further reported:
Denmark sent private messages in recent days to President-elect Trump’s team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence on the island, two sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios.
Earlier this week, Trump questioned if the Dnish had a “legal right” to Greenland and added if the country did it should be relinquished for “national security” for the US.
“I’m talking about protecting the free world,” he added.