The upcoming visit by a US delegation to Greenland demonstrates a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people, according to Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Demokraatit party which secured a major victory in elections in the territory earlier this month.
“The fact that the Americans know we are in the middle of negotiations [to form a government, ed.] and that the municipal elections have not yet concluded, yet they still take the opportunity to come to Greenland, once again shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic people,” Nielsen told Greenlandic media outlet Sermitsiaq.
Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, is to visit Greenland along with her son and an American delegation from Thursday to Saturday this week.
The White House told news agency Reuters on Sunday that National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Minister Chris Wright will also take part in the visit.
The two senior members of the US government are to visit US military base Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, which is located in Greenland.
According to the White House, Waltz and Wright will receive briefings from deployed US personnel at the base.
The two senior US ministers will also accompany Vance as she visits historical sites and attends Greenland’s national dog sled race.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his desire for a US takeover of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, against the wishes of both Greenland and Denmark.
Nielsen described the visit as a “pure charm offensive” from the United States administration but stressed it must not influence ongoing negotiations to form the new government in Nuuk.
“Let’s stay calm and maintain our shared goal of showing the world that our country is not a commodity, that we have sovereignty over our land, and that it must be respected, and that no one can take that away from us,” he said.
Outgoing prime minister Mute B. Egede has meanwhile confirmed there will be no meetings between the US delegation and the Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut.
"The Americans have also been clearly informed that meetings can only take place once a new Naalakkersuisut has taken office," Egede wrote in a Facebook post.
"Furthermore, it must be stated in no uncertain terms that our integrity and democracy must be respected without any external interference," Egede also wrote.
In earlier comments to Sermitsiaq, Egede said that “nothing gets through to Donald Trump and his administration in their mission to own and control Greenland.”
The outgoing Greenlandic government has “tried all diplomatic and democratic avenues” to reject Trump’s advances, he said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Sermitsiaq on Sunday the visit "cannot be seen independently of the public statements that have been made" by Trump.
Comments