The Prime Minister of Greenland, Mute Egede, said this Friday that he is willing to speak with the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, who has said he wants control of the Arctic island, and urged respect for the territory’s aspirations for independence. .
Trump, who will take office on January 20, has described US control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, as one of “absolute necessity” and did not rule out the possible use of military or economic means, including tariffs against Denmark.
At a press conference in Copenhagen, when asked if he had maintained contacts with Trump, Egede responded: “No, but we are willing to talk.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also participated in the press conference, said Thursday that she had requested a meeting with Trump, but that she did not expect it to happen before his inauguration.
Greenland, home to 57,000 people, was a Danish colony until 1953, but is now an autonomous Danish territory. In 2009 the right to claim independence was secured through a vote.
The United States maintains a military base in the northern part of the territory, of strategic importance.
Egede emphasized Greenland’s aspirations: “We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the masters of our own home (…) This is something that everyone should respect.”
“But that does not mean that we are going to cut all ties, all cooperation and all relations with Denmark,” he said.
In recent years, an independence movement has gained momentum, which Egede spoke about in his New Year’s speech.
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