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Greenlanders don’t appreciate Trump’s advances – but there is little here to stop US troops | World News
Greenland is in the eye of an intense diplomatic storm, not that you would know it being here.
The mother of all diplomatic row is erupting over Donald Trump‘s renewed claims on the place.
A joint statement by European leaders marks an extraordinary moment and a new nadir in transatlantic relations.
It warns President Trump in as many words to back off.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” it says. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
Greenlanders are taking it in their stride. They are getting used to Donald Trump’s advances on their country. A very small minority welcomes them.
Jorgen Boassen
We spoke to one of their leaders, Jorgen Boassen – en route to Greenland’s capital Nuuk – in Copenhagen.
He is in little doubt Trump will take Greenland and says he will welcome it.
“He will come. He has decided, you know. Nobody can change his mind, I know. I can feel that. But I think it’s not bad. It’s a new opportunity for us.”
The vast majority of islanders, though, reject Trump’s attempt to annex their land, say opinion polls.
File Pic: Scanpix/AP
Greenland‘s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, gained power in last year’s elections, campaigning for independence at some point in the future, from Denmark and certainly from the US.
Read more from Sky News:
Greenland PM and Europe warn US president
Could Trump actually take over Greenland?
Over the weekend, he released a statement condemning the American president.
“That’s enough now,” wrote Mr Nielsen.
“No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation.”
Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen has not minced her words. An American move on Greenland would be a NATO member country attacking the other, effectively the end of the alliance.
But Donald Trump has not shown much respect for that alliance, and taking Greenland might be hard to resist, whatever the disastrous impact on transatlantic relations.
If he sent in armed forces, there would be little stopping them, regardless of international outrage.
There is a sense here that he may now go ahead and do it.
