Greenland MP Kuno Fencker has said the mineral-rich island is "not for sale", a remark that has come amid US President Donald Trump's push to seize the Danish autonomous territory.
Greenland wants to be a sovereign state, he told NDTV on Friday. He, however, said that it cannot be a fully independent state, and so, it needs allies like the US, NATO, Denmark, and the European nations that are in its vicinity.
"Greenland's sovereignty is not for sale. But right now, we get a subsidy from Denmark, an annual subsidy, which is basically a purchase or rent of the island. So we also have to be careful in regards to our own morals here. So I think in principle, no country should be on sale," Fencker said.
The MP added Greenland wants to be a sovereign state. "We know we are a small population, a very big island, so we know that we can't be fully independent. But who is in a way? We need to have allies, and those allies will still be, for example, the United States, NATO, Denmark, the European nations, and so forth, which are in our immediate vicinity," he said, adding that the people of the territory will "never accept a new annexation".
Fencker told NDTV that the Greenlanders need to "keep their heads cool" and talk with the Americans and hear their concerns and interests.
"We saw some protests in Greenland last year after the US elections, with people saying that we are not for sale and so forth. But the rhetoric is changing up and down from the US. So I think what we need to do from Greenland is keep our heads cool and talk with the Americans directly and hear about what their concerns are, their interest, and also what they want realistically," Fencker said.
He added, "I will always go the diplomatic way because the only other way to do things is through military conflict. So we will, of course, go the diplomatic way. And that's also why I went to the inauguration in January last year, to talk to the Americans, because the diplomatic way to talk to people is only the best way to solve an eventual conflict coming up. Or maybe if the Americans have some concerns in regards to their own security and national security, and also international security, we have to address it so that we can eventually amend the defense agreement, which the United States has from 1951 with Denmark."
"But we amended it a little bit in 2004, where we sort of decreased the possibilities of the Americans in Greenland. We might have to remedy that and look into what their concerns are and work for Greenland's independence, but in cooperation with the states that are interested in Greenland," Fencker said.
Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, during his first presidential term, only to be told it was not for sale. After returning to office following his victory in the 2024 US Presidential Election, Trump revived his offer from his first term to purchase Greenland, which was again turned down. He, however, suggested the use of force to seize the territory "either the easy or difficult way" and "whether Denmark likes it or not".
To this, Denmark said that it would have to defend itself in the event of an American attack on Greenland.
The Greenland MP told NDTV that Denmark would defend itself even if it meant that Danish soldiers were killed in action, a move he said would destroy NATO.
''In the situation that there was an American attack on Greenland. Of course, we would have to defend it. We understand full well that it would be a very tough fight, and we would not be able to stop the Americans by military means. But we also want to make clear, of course, that it's not acceptable to attack the US militarily. And it would lead to the absurd situation and disastrous situation of a war between two NATO countries, which would be completely devastating, and very, very stupid and unnecessary," he said.
According to him, it will be a "wrong move" by Denmark if it reacts during the US takeover.
"You know the military size of the United States and the military size of Denmark. And even 70 percent of the budget and the military size of NATO is the American military. So Greenland is on the American continent, and it's a part of the Monroe Doctrine, which is a very geopolitical and important area for the United States. There is a military air base, a fixed base in northwest Greenland, which is an American base, and where they survey potential incoming missiles from Russia. But the shipping routes are opening up, so the security concern is understandable, but the rhetoric from the United States is not understandable," he said.
Hitting out at Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Fencker said she has a "moral problem".
"We don't want to be de facto annexed by Denmark anymore. We don't want to be a de facto colony anymore. We want to be our own independent state and with our own identity, with our own citizenship. And we would, Greenland should own Greenland, not Denmark, and not the United States. So Mette Frederiksen has a moral problem, in my opinion, because Denmark is supposed to be a democratic country, but it still has a king. Their constitution is only about the king and king and king, not even once is democracy mentioned," he said.
