U.S. Vice President JD Vance (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio be a 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 Pictures Information | Getty Pictures
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 may be a lot to counsel that the toughest half remains to be forward of us.”
Trump, who has lengthy coveted making Greenland part of the USA, renewed his curiosity within the huge and mineral-rich Arctic island following an audacious U.S. navy 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.”
Chatting with reporters on board Air Drive One in latest days, Trump stated the U.S. would take management of Greenland “someway,” even when it strains the connection throughout the NATO navy alliance.
Trump’s feedback have raised alarm in Denmark, which is liable for the protection of Greenland, with Frederiksen cautioning {that a} U.S. assault would mark the top of NATO.
Protection and sources
Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at GMF, a Washington-based suppose tank, stated the stakes have 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 seemingly 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 an announcement on the present state of affairs 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 Pictures
“There could possibly be new European commitments to strengthening the defence of Greenland, and extra necessary, the encompassing maritime house. There may also be parallel talks round new and preferential US entry to Greenland’s sources,” Lesser instructed CNBC by electronic mail.
“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 reside 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 answer on Wednesday, describing the state of affairs as “a profound disaster.”
“I believe there was a big change, I believe it was yesterday, when it was introduced in Washington that JD Vance, the vice chairman, was going to take over the assembly,” Bildt instructed CNBC’s “Europe Early Version” on Wednesday.
“It was scheduled to be with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has indicated a barely milder method, however JD Vance has, after all, been instantly insulting in direction of Denmark and demanding very unusual issues,” Bildt stated.
“I anticipate a reasonably onerous assembly. I do not anticipate any decision. At finest, 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 suppose tank, referred to JD Vance’s remarks on the Munich Safety Convention in February final yr, saying his “somewhat 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 a superb final result appear to be?
Otto Svendsen, affiliate fellow with the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research, a Washington-based suppose 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 complete Trump administration is to buying Greenland — and the way deterred the administration is to threats of an entire breakdown in bilateral relations.
” final result for the Danes and Greenlanders could be an announcement that affirms Greenland’s sovereignty and place throughout the Kingdom. Something wanting that leaves the door open to continued threats and coercion,” Svendsen instructed CNBC by electronic mail.
“In return, the Danish and Greenlandic delegation will seemingly supply plans to revisit financial and safety preparations among the many three international locations, similar 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 should be achieved collectively.
“Greenland belongs to its folks. It’s for Denmark and Greenland, and them solely, to determine 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.
