Denmark has said a “fundamental disagreement” remains with Donald Trump over Greenland after officials held talks US vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said there was a “frank but also constructive discussion” during the meeting.
“The discussions focused on how to ensure the long-term security in Greenland, and here our perspectives continue to differ,” Mr Rasmussen said.
“I must say the president has made his view clear and we have a different position.”
He said there was still a “fundamental disagreement” but both sides “agree to disagree”.
The Danish foreign minister also announced a high-level working group will be set up “to explore if we can find a common way forward”. The group is expected to meet for the first time “within a matter of weeks”.
“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt said the talks were held in a “respectful way” and added it is in their interests to “find the right path”.
Trump: ‘Unacceptable’ if US doesn’t control Greenland
The talks came after a Truth Social post from Mr Trump, who said it would be “unacceptable” if Greenland is not “in the hands of the United States”.
He claimed the territory was “vital for the Golden Dome” – a giant, US version of Israel’s missile defence system that experts have dismissed as physically implausible.
The US president also urged NATO to tell Denmark to keep China and Russia away from Greenland.
Leaders of the European Parliament “unequivocally” condemned Mr Trump’s statements on Greenland and called on the EU Commission and Council to give concrete and tangible support to Greenland and Denmark.
“We respect the wishes of the Greenlanders and their interests and they can count on us,” EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said earlier on Wednesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed her remarks in a cabinet meeting, telling ministers if the sovereignty of a European country and ally was affected, the knock-on effects would be unprecedented.
“We do not underestimate statements on Greenland,” Macron said of US threats.
Bolstering military presence in Arctic
Both Denmark and Greenland announced that they would raise their military presence in and around the Arctic territory alongside their allies.
Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen confirmed Denmark would have a more permanent presence on Greenland going forward.
He described a US attack on the island as being completely hypothetical, saying it was unlikely a NATO nation would attack another NATO country.
Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, announced a similar move, saying several officers from the Swedish Armed Forces were arriving in Greenland on Wednesday.
“They are part of a group from several allied countries. Together, they will prepare for upcoming elements within the framework of the Danish exercise Operation Arctic Endurance,” he wrote in an online post.
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Norway and Germany are also set to bolster their military presence in the Arctic, reports suggest.
Meanwhile, France announced it would open a consulate in Greenland next month.
