Greenland minister says US annexation talk causing sleepless nights

A senior minister from Greenland has publicly stated that the people of the island are experiencing severe anxiety and "difficulties sleeping" due to persistent threats from the United States about annexation. The stark admission from Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland's Minister for Business and Mineral Resources, underscores the deep psychological and political impact of US President Donald Trump's rhetoric on the autonomous Danish territory.

A Firm Rejection and a Sense of Betrayal

Speaking at an event in the UK Parliament in London on Tuesday, Nathanielsen was unequivocal about Greenland's position. "Greenland has no intentions of becoming American," she declared, a stance she said is shared by the Prime Minister and all political party leaders. She expressed a feeling of bewilderment and betrayal, noting that while Greenland has long been a supportive US ally and accepted its strategic importance to American interests, the current discourse from Washington is "offensive." The minister stated this rhetoric is dominating household conversations and creating profound worry about the future.

Warning of a Catastrophic Break in World Order

In a sobering assessment, Nathanielsen framed the potential consequences of US military action in stark, systemic terms. When asked about NATO support in the event of a US invasion, she responded that such a scenario would represent an attack by one NATO member on another, meaning "we would all be under attack." She described it as a fundamental "breakdown of the rule of law and international law, and existing agreements and treaties," forcing the world to confront a dangerous new geopolitical reality.

Diplomatic Moves Amid Arctic Tensions

The minister's comments came just before a critical high-level meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Senior officials from Denmark and Greenland, including Foreign Ministers Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Vivian Motzfeldt, are set to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Nathanielsen indicated Greenland is open to enhanced security cooperation, stating the territory has "no problems with granting more access for NATO in Greenland" to monitor increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. This diplomatic push aims to address US security concerns without compromising Greenland's sovereignty, which both Nuuk and Copenhagen have steadfastly refused to cede.