Denmark’s Prime Minister put forward his opinion on Donald Trump’s idea of buying the semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic. The Danish Prime Minister said that Greenland is not for sale and it is an absurd discussion.
Mette Frederiksen told the reporters, “Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant”. He was visiting the world’s largest island to meet Premier Kim Kielsen.
Mette said on Sunday that the Arctic with potential resources that Russia and others may exploit for commercial gain is becoming crucial for the entire world. Retreating ice could uncover potential mineral resources and oil in Greenland. If tapped properly, it could change the island’s fortune. However, as of now, no oil has been discovered in Greenlandic waters and about 80% of the island is covered by an ice sheet that is 1.9 miles thick. This makes the exploration possible only in the coastal regions.
Even in the coastal regions, the conditions are not ideal due to long winter, frozen ports, all-day long darkness, and temperatures dropping below minus 20 Fahrenheit. Donald Trump is expected to visit Denmark in September as a part of his trip to Europe.
Trump clarified that although he is interested in this idea, it is not in the priority list for him and his administration. The president said that, “Strategically it’s interesting and we’d be interested, but we’ll talk to them a little bit. It’s not No. 1 on the burner, I can tell you that”.
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Though it wouldn’t be the first time an American leader has proposed to buy Greenland. In 1946, the US proposed to pay Denmark $100 million to buy Greenland after considering the idea of exchanging land in Alaska. Under a deal that took place in 1951, Denmark allowed the US to build bases and install radar stations on Greenland.
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