Greenland premier says details of Trump-NATO framework unknown

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has publicly stated that he is not privy to the details of a framework agreement concerning Greenland reportedly reached between U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Speaking at a press conference in Nuuk on Thursday, Nielsen underscored that only Greenland and Denmark can make agreements about the territory's future.

Lack of Clarity and Assertion of Sovereignty

"In relation to the agreement, I do not know what is specifically in it. But I know that we now have a working group that is working on a solution," Nielsen said. He reiterated the fundamental red lines conveyed to Rutte by Greenlandic and Danish representatives days earlier: national integrity, borders, and international rules. The prime minister firmly stated that "no one other than Greenland and Denmark can make agreements on their behalf," reasserting the principle of self-determination.

Criticism of US Rhetoric and Hope for Reconciliation

Nielsen strongly criticized the American discourse on Greenland, calling it "unacceptable." He described the psychological impact on Greenlanders, saying, "Imagine what it has been like as a Greenlander — peaceful people in Greenland — to hear every day that someone wants to take away your freedom." Despite this, he expressed a belief that Greenland and the U.S. can rebuild a positive relationship, though he acknowledged the difficulty amid continuous threats.

Context of the Framework and Tariff Suspension

The comments follow a meeting between Rutte and Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday. Afterward, Trump announced a "framework of a future deal" involving Greenland and the Arctic and suspended planned tariffs on eight European nations that had been linked to his pursuit of the territory. The U.S. interest is driven by strategic, economic, and geopolitical factors. Both Copenhagen and Nuuk have consistently and categorically rejected any sale, maintaining that Greenland is a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark.