Greenland's prime minister has said his people would choose Denmark over the US if they were asked to make such a choice here and now.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen's remark at a joint news conference with Denmark's prime minister is the strongest by a representative of the semi-autonomous Danish territory since US President Donald Trump renewed his plan to annex it.
Trump says the US needs to own Greenland to defend against Russia and China. The White House has suggested buying the island but has not ruled out the use of force to annex it.
Denmark is a fellow Nato member and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that military force would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.
Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
The US has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland's northwestern tip, a facility operated by the US since World War Two.
The statement from Nielsen underscores that Greenland does not wish to be governed or owned by the US, reinforcing the territory's commitment to its relationship with Denmark.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen's remark at a joint news conference with Denmark's prime minister is the strongest by a representative of the semi-autonomous Danish territory since US President Donald Trump renewed his plan to annex it.
Trump says the US needs to own Greenland to defend against Russia and China. The White House has suggested buying the island but has not ruled out the use of force to annex it.
Denmark is a fellow Nato member and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that military force would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.
Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
The US has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland's northwestern tip, a facility operated by the US since World War Two.
The statement from Nielsen underscores that Greenland does not wish to be governed or owned by the US, reinforcing the territory's commitment to its relationship with Denmark.
