US President Donald Trump canceled his visit to Denmark due to the fact that the Prime Minister of this country, Mette Frederiksen, refused to discuss the idea of selling Greenland. The American leader is going to come to Copenhagen on September 2-3.
“Denmark is a very special country, and its people are wonderful, but, based on the statements of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about the lack of interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I postpone our meeting, which was supposed to take place in two weeks,” Trump wrote on his Twitter .
A few days ago, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources surrounded by an American leader, said that Trump was allegedly interested in buying this world's largest island. Commenting on this information, the American president announced Washington’s “strategic interest” in purchasing Greenland, which is currently Danish territory.
Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time ....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2019Mette Frederiksen categorically rejected the possibility of such a deal, while emphasizing that, despite Trump's statements, Denmark is waiting for his visit.
“This is an absurd discussion, and Kim Kielsen (Prime Minister of Greenland. - approx. RT ) made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, so all conversations ceased. On the other hand, there are many other issues that we would like to discuss with the US president. For example, increased cooperation in the Arctic, ”DR television quoted the Danish Prime Minister as saying.
It was after this commentary by Fredericksen that President Trump decided to answer her via his Twitter.
“By his bluntness, the prime minister saved resources and strength in both the United States and Denmark. I am grateful to her for this and look forward to the opportunity to arrange a meeting at another time! ”- wrote the American leader.
On Wednesday at a briefing in Brussels, the representative of the European Commission, Natasha Berto, supported Mette Frederiksen.
“On the Greenland issue, the European Commission fully accepts and
supports the position expressed by the Danish Prime Minister and the Greenland government, ”she said.
Danish reaction
Since Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, an invitation to Trump to visit the country was sent on behalf of Queen Margrethe II. The royal family expressed surprise at the postponement of Trump's visit. This was stated in an interview with DR channel by a representative of the ruling family, Line Ballebu.
It is worth noting that Danish statesmen and politicians reacted negatively to US intentions to acquire Greenland. The only exceptions were two members of the royal family of Denmark - the wife of Queen Margrethe II's cousin Prince Valdemar, Princess Anthony Schaumburg-Lippe and her son, Prince Mario Max Schaumburg-Lippe.
They gave an interview to Newsweek magazine, in which they commented on Trump's idea.
“The offer to buy is a compliment to the magical Greenland, because such offers are attracted only to the desired territories,” said Princess Antonia Schaumburg-Lippe.
In turn, Prince Mario Max Schaumburg-Lippe announced his desire to see "his beloved people" happy.
“The decision that he considers to be the best and (in the end) will be made should be supported. The fate of the Greenlanders must and can be controlled by the Greenlanders themselves, ”said the prince.
“The position of the people who live in Greenland on the future of this territory has not yet been studied and presented. We can only say for now that the island now has an autonomous status and a certain independence in solving domestic political problems. However, although there is a Greenlandic Foreign Ministry, Denmark still determines the foreign policy of autonomy. And the separation of Greenland is unprofitable for her, despite the fact that the island’s economy is heavily dependent on subsidies from Copenhagen, ”said Valery Zhuravel, a leading researcher at the Center for Northern Europe at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in an interview with RT.
Zhuravel also noted that even if the United States promises a very large sum and makes an official proposal to purchase Greenland in the most correct form that does not offend the Danes' national feelings, damage will be done to the prestige of this North European country.
“Denmark is a member of the Arctic Council. It is considered a subarctic state solely because it owns Greenland. If the sale of the island takes place, Denmark will no longer be in the Arctic Council. The country will lose its membership in this prestigious international club and the opportunity to defend its point of view on many important issues, ”Zhuravel believes.
According to the CIA World Book of Facts, as of July 2018, 57,691 people were living in Greenland. Of these, Danes - 7.8%. The vast majority of the island's inhabitants (89.7%) are Greenland Eskimos. The island’s two leading political parties, Siumut and Inuit Atakatigit, advocate expanding Greenland’s autonomy, up to its independence in the long run, but not joining the United States, experts say.
Purchase price
Trump’s decision to cancel his visit to Denmark may not have any serious political motivation, said Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies.
- Greenland
- Reuters
- © Lucas Jackson
“Trump spoke of a mutually beneficial deal, from his point of view, and she was called absurd. He is offended by everyone who does not agree to speak his language with him. For him, all these people immediately become opponents in the negotiations. It came from his business past. Of course, as a politician, Trump does not paint such behavior. If he continues to follow this course, it can complicate the already tense relations of the USA with European elites, ”Bruter said in an interview with RT.
However, whatever the immediate reason for the cancellation of the visit to Denmark, this decision itself indicates that Trump takes the idea of buying Greenland very seriously, experts say.
The American president called his interest in the largest island in the world strategic. So, in this case, Trump thinks about the long-term interests of his country, says Zhuravel.
When it comes to the economic value of Greenland, it usually refers to oil and other mineral reserves, which are practically not developed due to severe climatic conditions, the expert recalls. Global warming facilitates the development of the Arctic, respectively, the importance of this region is growing - both economic and geopolitical, he said.
If the Greenland ice begins to melt, it will primarily affect Europe, analysts say. The Gulf Stream will become less warm, the level of the world's oceans will rise and part of the territory where some EU countries are located will be flooded. This is one of the reasons why the position of Denmark on Greenland was unequivocally supported by the European Union, Zhuravel notes.
“The fight for the Arctic is intensifying. In these conditions, the most unexpected combinations are possible, ”the expert concluded.