Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has declared that the island’s sovereignty is non-negotiable, after US President Donald Trump claimed a deal with Nato would grant the US full and permanent access to the Arctic territory. Speaking in Nuuk on Thursday, Nielsen said Greenland wanted a “peaceful dialogue” with the US but stressed that its territorial integrity and international law must be respected.
“We have some red lines … We have to respect our territorial integrity. We have to respect international law, sovereignty,” Nielsen told a press conference. He added that if Greenlanders had to choose, “we choose the Kingdom of Denmark, we choose the EU, we choose Nato”. Nielsen emphasised that no one other than Greenland and Denmark has the mandate to make agreements about the territory.
Trump, who had earlier backed away from threats to use tariffs or force to seize Greenland, said on Thursday that a “framework of a future deal” with Nato gave the US “total access” with “no end, no time limit”. However, the precise terms of the agreement, apparently struck between Trump and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, remained unclear. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen insisted that Denmark’s sovereignty was not up for negotiation and “cannot be discussed, it cannot be changed”.
Rutte told Reuters that Nato commanders would “work out what is necessary” regarding Arctic security, hoping for a resolution by early 2026. He earlier said a key goal was to prevent Chinese and Russian access to Greenland’s economy or military facilities. EU leaders, meeting in Brussels, expressed concern over damaged transatlantic ties but remained committed to maintaining relations with the US.
