Greenlanders reject the idea of joining the US, despite US President Donald Trump's insistence that the US can give the island "freedom".
A new poll shows that an overwhelming 85 % Greenlanders do not want the island to become part of the US, despite President Trump's efforts to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Trump has stepped up calls for a takeover of the world's largest island, which is rich in natural resources and home to a US space facility.
"I think we'll get him," Trump said on Saturday, insisting that the island's 57,000 residents 'want to be with us'.
Although Greenland is partly controlled by Denmark, it is not part of the 27-member European Union bloc. Yet it has a special status with access to EU funds and free movement of Greenlanders, who are legally considered EU citizens.
In addition, Greenland is covered by the mutual defence clause in the EU treaties - meaning that all European member states would be obliged to provide "assistance and support" if another member state became "a victim of armed aggression on its territory".
Trump has refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the island, despite Denmark's insistence that the territory is not for sale.
He doubled down on his threats during a fiery phone call with the Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen earlier this month, in which he reportedly threatened Denmark with targeted tariffs.
Frederiksen did not mention Trump or Greenland by name during her European tour. However, she stressed that Europe should increase its defence capabilities to make itself stronger. "We need to take more responsibility for our own security," said the Danish leader.
In recent days, Denmark has come up with a series of measures aimed at Greenlanders and the island, including a $4.9 million (€4.7 million) action plan to combat racism and discrimination against Greenlanders in the country.
The Nordic country also announced that it will spend €1.95 billion to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Arctic and North Atlantic, including three new Arctic ships, two additional drones for remote surveillance and improved satellite capabilities.
However, a survey conducted by the research company Verian for the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq and the Danish media outlet Berlingske showed that only 6 % of the population want to join the US and 9 % are undecided.
The survey comes as the Danish prime minister met with various NATO allies on Tuesday in an effort to strengthen a united European front in the face of Trump's increasingly expansive rhetoric.
After meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Frederiksen said: "I want to make sure that Europe sticks together, not only in the context of the Kingdom of Denmark, but also more broadly."
Scholz was more pointed when asked by reporters about the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that "borders must not be pushed by force"whereupon he switched to English and added: "to whom it may concern".
euronews/ gnews - RoZ
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