US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced he will hold talks with Denmark next week amid concerns over America's desire to acquire the Danish territory of Greenland.
Marco Rubio's statement to reporters follows a closed-door briefing with US senators and comes a day after the White House indicated that President Donald Trump had discussed options, including military force, to acquire Greenland.
Concerns over the territory resurfaced after Trump's unilateral military action against Venezuela to seize its President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration is adamant about Greenland's importance for US security, while Denmark warns that an attack on Greenland would jeopardize the NATO alliance.
If the president identifies a threat to the national security of the United States, every president retains the option to address it through military means, Rubio mentioned on Wednesday. However, he expressed a preference for diplomatic resolutions.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Rubio had ruled out the possibility of invading Greenland in a recent phone call. He plans to discuss the matter further with his German and Polish counterparts.
In response to Trump's ambitions, European leaders released a joint statement reaffirming Denmark's rights over Greenland, emphasizing that only the Danish and Greenlandic people should determine their affairs.
The statement also reaffirmed the need for achieving security in the Arctic through collaborative efforts among NATO allies, including the US, while maintaining respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The situation has elicited concerns from the local Inuit population; Morgan Angaju, an inhabitant of Ilulissat, expressed feelings of alarm at Trump's comments referring to Greenland as a piece to be claimed.
