Vance slams Denmark for failing to protect Greenland from Russia, China

NUUK: US Vice President JD Vance has criticised Denmark for not doing enough to protect Greenland and its people from growing threats posed by Russia and China, while urging the Arctic territory to strengthen ties with the United States.

US Vice President JD Vance criticised Denmark during a visit to Greenland on Friday, saying it has not done a good job of keeping the semi-autonomous Danish territory and its people safe from incursions by China and Russia. He pledged respect for Greenland's sovereignty while urging its people to partner with the United States.

Vance said the United States does not have immediate plans to expand its military presence on the ground in Greenland but will invest in resources, including additional naval ships.

"Denmark has not kept pace and devoted the resources necessary to keep this base, to keep our troops, and in my view, to keep the people of Greenland safe from a lot of very aggressive incursions from Russia, from China, and other nations," Vance said. However, he did not provide details of the alleged incursions.

The US vice president stated that Russia, China, and other nations are taking an "extraordinary interest" in Arctic passageways, naval routes, and minerals in the region. The US will invest more resources, including naval ships and military icebreakers, to establish a stronger presence in the country.

Greenland’s new prime minister said the US visit signalled a "lack of respect" and called for unity in the face of "pressure from outside".

Denmark’s king issued a statement of support on social media. "We live in an altered reality. There should be no doubt that my love for Greenland and my connectedness to the people of Greenland are intact," King Frederik said.

Vance delivered his remarks during a visit to the US military base at Pituffik in northern Greenland. His visit came just hours after a new broad government coalition was presented in Nuuk, aiming to maintain ties with Denmark for the time being.

Upon arrival, Vance greeted US military personnel at the remote base, thanking them for their service. The outside temperature at Pituffik was minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit (-19°C).

Vance also pledged that Greenland’s people would have "self-determination" and that the US would respect its sovereignty.

"We hope that they choose to partner with the United States, because we're the only nation on earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security, because their security is very much our security," Vance said.

As Vance’s visit was underway, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States needs Greenland to ensure "peace for the entire world."

"We need Greenland, very importantly, for international security. We have to have Greenland. It's not a question of, 'Do you think we can do without it?' We can't," Trump said.

Trump claimed that Greenland’s waterways had "Chinese and Russian ships all over the place" and insisted that the United States would not rely on Denmark or any other country to manage the situation.

Denmark and the European Union understand Greenland’s importance for global peace, "and if they don't, we're going to have to explain it to them," Trump added.

The US delegation included Vance’s wife, Usha, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

The original plan for the trip included Vance’s wife attending a dog-sled race on the island with Waltz, despite not being officially invited by Greenlandic or Danish authorities. However, public protests and backlash from officials in both Greenland and Denmark led the US delegation to limit its visit to the military base, avoiding public meetings.

Under a 1951 agreement, the US is entitled to visit its base whenever it wishes, provided it notifies Greenland and Copenhagen. Pituffik is located along the shortest route between Europe and North America and is vital for the US ballistic missile warning system.

Greenland, whose capital is closer to New York than to Copenhagen, holds significant reserves of minerals, oil, and natural gas. However, development has been slow, and the mining sector has received little US investment. Most mining companies operating in Greenland are Australian, Canadian, or British.

A White House official has stated that Greenland has a vast supply of rare earth minerals that could power the next generation of the US economy.

New government

Greenland’s new Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, on Friday urged political unity.

"At a time when we as a people are under pressure, we must stand together," Nielsen told a press conference.

His pro-business party, the Democrats, which favours gradual independence from Denmark, emerged as the largest party in the 11 March election.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who previously called the initial US visit plans "unacceptable", congratulated Greenland’s new government in an Instagram post: "I look forward to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-ridden time."

Andreas Oesthagen, a senior researcher on Arctic politics and security at the Oslo-based Fridtjof Nansen Institute, said the question now is how far Trump is willing to push his idea of taking over the island.

"It is still unlikely that the United States will use military means," he told Reuters.

"But it is unfortunately likely that President Trump and Vice President Vance will continue to use other means of pressure, such as ambiguous statements, semi-official visits to Greenland, and economic instruments," he added.

'Not for sale'

By revising the trip, the Trump administration is seeking to refocus the discussion on key issues: the US presence in Greenland, military capabilities, and Arctic security, said Catherine Sendak, head of the Transatlantic Defence and Security programme at the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington-based think tank.

"A change of course was needed," Sendak told Reuters.

However, some residents in Nuuk remain angry at the Trump administration ahead of Vance’s visit.

"I am a human. Humans are not for sale. We are not for sale," said Tungutaq Larsen, a filmmaker, speaking to Reuters.

Polls show that nearly all Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the United States. Anti-American protesters, some wearing "Make America Go Away" caps and holding "Yankees Go Home" banners, have staged some of the largest demonstrations ever seen in Greenland.

On Thursday, residents in Nuuk planted Greenlandic flags in the snow alongside a cardboard sign in English reading: "Our Land. Our Future."