Danish international minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, has mentioned there may be nonetheless a “fundamental disagreement” over the way forward for Greenland following talks on the White Space.
The United States president, Donald Trump, has many times said that he desires Greenland to change into a part of america, caution that most effective The united states can offer protection to Greenland from Russia and China. As Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been assembly the Danish and Greenlandic international ministers, the White Space posted a picture on X portraying Greenland at crossroads between the sunny US and the doom of Russia and China.
The assembly was once held amid bulletins that Denmark and Greenland are strengthening army presence within the Arctic with Ecu Nato allies.
Denmark’s leaders have reacted strongly in rejecting the frenzy by way of Trump to procure Greenland, pronouncing that the island, as a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, will have to now not be both bought or taken by way of power. However Greenlandic politicians had been disappointed with the early exclusion in their voices in Copenhagen’s motion.
Representatives of Greenland had been angered following a fractious on-line assembly on January 6 between Danish and Greenlandic politicians. Pipaluk Lynge, the co-chair of Greenland’s international affairs committee, criticised the failure to ask Greenlanders to take part in a very powerful assembly concerning the unfolding scenario.
Lynge said that the exclusion was once “neo-colonialist”. With round 90% of Greenlanders being Indigenous Inuit, the Danish didn’t appreciate the Indigenous rights and practice the main: not anything about Greenland with out Greenlanders.
Leaders of Greenland’s 5 political events just lately launched a remark, underlining their proper to self-determination: “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”
The United States threats to procure Greenland – if important by way of power – and the Danish govt’s company reaction printed the problems of who has authority in Greenland’s international affairs, and whether or not Indigenous voices are being listened to.
Some Greenlanders really feel that the Danish govt will have to let Greenland lead its international coverage. Greenland’s international minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, recommended they meet with america on my own..
Beneath the Danish charter, Denmark controls international affairs for the dominion as an entire, together with Greenland. However the 2009 Self-Executive Act mandates cooperation with Greenland.
Additionally Greenland’s govt, the Naalakkersuisut, has powers to behave by itself in restricted international coverage issues that completely fear Greenland. The Greenlandic govt and parliament broadly make a decision concerning the home affairs.
Denmark recognises Greenland’s proper to hunt independence. If the folk of Greenland are in favour of independence, they are able to begin a strategy of negotiations between the Danish govt and Naalakkersuisut. The settlement can be put to a referendum in Greenland, and it might want the consent of the Danish parliament.
Dating between Denmark and Greenland
Over centuries, the connection between Denmark and Greenland has been chequered by way of a lot of problems. The legacy of the colonial duration, underdevelopment, and the best way by which ancient and ongoing human rights violations had been addressed stay important issues of competition.
Not anything about Greenland with out Greenland: indigenous rights activists march in Copenhagen.
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Within the Sixties and Seventies, Indigenous ladies confronted pressured delivery regulate measures by way of Danish docs. The Danish top minister, Mette Frederiksen, made a proper apology on behalf of Denmark remaining September after the belief of a three-year lengthy investigation into the scandal.
Danish social products and services most effective stopped the use of parental competency assessments, which did not account for cultural and language variations, on Greenlandic households remaining Would possibly. The assessments have been used to justify the elimination of Indigenous kids from their households. Greenlandic folks had been just about six occasions much more likely to have their kids taken by way of social products and services, with the Danish govt now having a look to study 300 instances of pressured elimination.
In 2014, Denmark rejected the invitation to take part within the Greenland Reconciliation Fee established by way of the Greenland’s parliament, Inatsisartut, indicating there was once no use for reconciliation. Issues have advanced since and, in 2022, Denmark and Greenland agreed to collaborate on a analysis venture to inspect the colonial previous. However this venture most effective started remaining yr.
Highway to self-determination
Greenland’s independence seems not likely within the close to long term, in spite of the careworn dating with Denmark and robust in style strengthen.
A ballot carried out in January 2025 indicated that 56% of Greenlanders had been in favour of independence. This determine was once 68% as just lately as 2019. Crucially, in 2025 85% of Greenlanders had been towards becoming a member of america.
The ballot additionally confirmed 45% had been hostile to independence if it supposed a lower in residing requirements. The industrial long term of Greenland is a key factor within the independence debate with roughly a part of the federal government’s income coming from an annual grant from Denmark.
Within the 2025 basic election, by which independence and Trump’s previous statements had been key problems, 5 of the six major events supported Greenland changing into totally independent. Alternatively, they disagreed on how briskly this will have to occur.
The Democratic celebration gained, arguing for a steady method and entered right into a coalition with 3 different events. The second one greatest celebration, Naleraq, campaigned on having a referendum in the following couple of years however become the only real opposition.
The query of Greenland’s long term is concerning the subsequent generations of its Indigenous folks. With the Danish dedication to permit growth against independence, changing into a part of america represents a extra unsure long term with in all probability decreased rights and self-determination. Being attentive to the Indigenous leaders and decision-makers would permit a extra nuanced working out of the present safety disaster and its human penalties.
