Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said negotiations over Greenland have already begun and are close to an agreement, describing the talks as crucial from a national security perspective. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump indicated that discussions were progressing positively, though he did not share specific details of the negotiations.
Responding to a question on whether there were fresh developments or recent contacts with European leaders on the issue, Trump said the process was already underway. “We have started a negotiation, and I think it’s pretty well agreed to. I mean, they want us to do it,” he said, adding that the proposed arrangement would be beneficial for all sides involved.
Trump stressed the strategic importance of the Arctic island, saying any agreement would be “a very, very important deal” for US national security. “I think we’re going to make a deal there,” he added.
According to a report by Politico, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said earlier this week that initial discussions between Denmark, the United States and Greenland on the island’s future had “gone well,” though no final resolution has been reached. Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on January 14, where the parties agreed to form a working group focused on Greenland and broader Arctic security concerns.
Rasmussen acknowledged that talks had faced turbulence after Trump threatened tariffs on several European countries unless Greenland was handed over, a stance that escalated tensions before being softened. Trump later stepped back from the tariff threat, citing a “framework” agreement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, although details of that framework remain undisclosed.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Rasmussen said discussions were back on track and described the first working group meeting as constructive. However, he cautioned that the dispute is not yet settled and that further talks are planned, noting he was “a little more optimistic” than earlier.
Trump’s earlier remarks about acquiring Greenland had unsettled European capitals and strained transatlantic ties, prompting calls within the European Union for greater unity on security issues. France and Germany had urged consideration of the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument before Trump backed away from escalating trade measures.
At the World Economic Forum in January, Trump clarified that the United States would not use military force to acquire Greenland, easing concerns over sovereignty. He also reversed the proposed 10 per cent tariffs on European allies, saying progress had been made toward an understanding on mineral access and security cooperation with NATO.
