Greenland Prime Minister left in dark on Trump's "ultimate" deal
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
This combo of pictures shows Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and President Trump. Photos: Frederick Florin and Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he doesn't know what's "concrete" in the deal President Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed yesterday, stressing that nothing could move forward without Greenlandic support.
Why it matters: Trump has called the proposal the "ultimate long-term deal" that gives America "everything we needed," but Nielsen being left in the dark about the details risks undermining any solution.
What they're saying: "First of all, nobody else than Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark have the mandate to make deals or agreements … without us, that's not going to happen," Nielsen said Thursday.
- "I don't know what is in the agreement or the deal about my country over some discussions I didn't attend."
- "I don't know what's concrete in that deal, either, but I know that we have now a high-level working group working on a solution for both parties," he said.
Zoom in: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a Thursday statement that it is "good and natural" for NATO and Trump to want to discuss countering threats to Arctic security, and said the alliance is "fully aware" of the kingdom's position.
- Nielsen said that Rutte delivered Greenland's "clear red lines" on Wednesday, including the need to respect "international law," the island's "territorial integrity" and "sovereignty."
- "[N]othing about a deal on mineral resources" was discussed either.
- The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
The other side: "Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said in an emailed statement.
- She added that the secretary general "did not propose any compromise to sovereignty" during the meeting.
Of note: She said Rutte has spoken to Frederiksen and European Council President Antonio Costa about Wednesday's talks, but not Nielsen.
Catch up quick: After spending several days alarming NATO allies with threats to take over the Denmark-controlled territory, Trump said he reached a deal Wednesday that falls short of total control of Greenland but meets the president's new requirements.
Go deeper: Greenland proposal Trump endorsed respects Denmark's sovereignty: sources
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting throughout.
