U.S. Vice President JD Vance (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio be part of President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron within the Oval Workplace on the White Home on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Photos Information | Getty Photos
The Trump administration is poised for crunch talks with Greenlandic and Danish officers on Wednesday, amid the U.S. president’s ongoing push to take management of Greenland.
Greenland International Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and her Danish counterpart, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, are anticipated to convene on the White Home for talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The high-stakes assembly comes shortly after Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen portrayed a united entrance in opposition to Trump’s repeated takeover threats.
Talking at a joint press convention in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Greenland’s Nielsen stated that if the self-governing Danish territory should select between the U.S. and Denmark, “we select Denmark.”
Frederiksen additionally stated it had not been straightforward to face as much as what she described as “utterly unacceptable strain” from our closest ally. “However there’s a lot to recommend that the toughest half remains to be forward of us.”
Trump, who has lengthy coveted making Greenland part of america, renewed his curiosity within the huge and mineral-rich Arctic island following an audacious U.S. army operation in Venezuela on Jan. 3.
The U.S. president has stated that the island, which is strategically located between Europe and North America, is important “from the standpoint of nationwide safety.”
Talking to reporters on board Air Power One in latest days, Trump stated the U.S. would take management of Greenland “by some means,” even when it strains the connection throughout the NATO army alliance.
Trump’s feedback have raised alarm in Denmark, which is answerable for the protection of Greenland, with Frederiksen cautioning {that a} U.S. assault would mark the top of NATO.
Protection and assets
Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at GMF, a Washington-based assume tank, stated the stakes had been “very excessive” for the talks, warning that failure to resolve the diplomatic disaster “doesn’t simply threaten NATO cohesion, it threatens the longer term existence of the Alliance as we all know it.”
The assembly will doubtless search to make clear the prospects for and potential contours of a negotiated settlement of the disaster, Lesser stated.
Greenland’s Head of Authorities (Naalakkersuisut) Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen give a press release on the present scenario at a press convention within the Mirror Corridor on the Prime Minister’s Workplace in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 13, 2026.
Liselotte Sabroe | Afp | Getty Photos
“Or, the assembly might finish in acrimony,” he added.
The prospect of a public fallout between U.S. and European officers on the White Home brings to thoughts a extremely contentious assembly between Trump, Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February final yr.
Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of an absence of respect because the assembly veered sharply off observe, devolving into a unprecedented shouting match stay on digital camera.
‘A profound disaster’
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, stated he doesn’t anticipate the U.S., Greenland, and Denmark to have the ability to discover a diplomatic resolution on Wednesday, describing the scenario as “a profound disaster.”
“I feel there was a big change, I feel it was yesterday, when it was introduced in Washington that JD Vance, the vice chairman, was going to take over the assembly,” Bildt advised CNBC’s “Europe Early Version” on Wednesday.
“It was scheduled to be with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has indicated a barely milder strategy, however JD Vance has, in fact, been straight insulting in direction of Denmark and demanding very unusual issues,” Bildt stated.
“I anticipate a reasonably laborious assembly. I do not anticipate any decision. At greatest, I anticipate that they may provoke the method of talks of some kind,” he added.
Bildt, who serves as co-chair of the European Council on International Relations assume tank, referred to JD Vance’s remarks on the Munich Safety Convention in February final yr, saying his “slightly extraordinary” evaluation of Europe was extra according to the “excessive proper” of the area.
“This isn’t the trans-Atlantic alliance we used to have,” he added.
What would final result seem like?
Otto Svendsen, affiliate fellow with the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research, a Washington-based assume tank, stated tensions between Greenland and Denmark have been put aside to current a united entrance in opposition to U.S. threats.
The White Home assembly, Svendsen stated, will present additional clues as to how dedicated your entire Trump administration is to buying Greenland — and the way deterred the administration is to threats of a whole breakdown in bilateral relations.
” final result for the Danes and Greenlanders can be a press release that affirms Greenland’s sovereignty and place throughout the Kingdom. Something in need of that leaves the door open to continued threats and coercion,” Svendsen advised CNBC by electronic mail.
“In return, the Danish and Greenlandic delegation will doubtless provide plans to revisit financial and safety preparations among the many three nations, corresponding to extra favorable entry for U.S. firms to the Greenlandic mining sector and extra Danish investments in Arctic safety,” he added.
A number of European leaders rallied in assist of Greenland final week, saying safety within the Arctic have to be achieved collectively.
“Greenland belongs to its folks. It’s for Denmark and Greenland, and them solely, to resolve on issues regarding Denmark and Greenland,” the leaders stated. The letter was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in addition to the leaders of Italy, Spain and Poland.
