Trump wants the US to buy Greenland, the island's leader says 'never for sale'

"Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and never will be. We cannot afford to lose our long struggle for freedom," Greenland's government leader Mute Egede wrote in a statement to Denmark's DR.

The statement is believed to be in response to recent comments by US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the ownership of the icy island owned by Denmark but located close to the east of Canada and the US.

Seaport in Nuuk, capital of Greenland

According to Reuters, Mr. Trump announced over the weekend that he would nominate former US ambassador to Sweden Ken Howery as ambassador to Denmark and commented on Greenland.

"For the sake of national security and freedom in the world , the United States finds it absolutely necessary to have ownership and control of Greenland," Mr. Trump wrote on social media.

Mr. Egede rejected the US idea but stressed his readiness to cooperate with international partners including the US.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's office also sent a statement to DR saying it had no further comments beyond what Mr. Egede had mentioned, that Greenland was not for sale but open to cooperation, according to Xinhua.

Opposition Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov said the Danish government must make it clear that control of the island is not up for discussion or negotiation. Mr. Jarlov, who heads the defense committee in the Danish parliament , also proposed banning and responding to foreign attempts to control Danish territory.

Mr. Trump said the US could reclaim the Panama Canal.

In 2009, Greenland gained greater autonomy but is still dependent on Denmark in many aspects such as defense and foreign affairs. Greenland has an area of ​​more than 2.1 million ^km2 but has only about 56,000 people, most of whom live in the southwest coastal area. Its main economic activity is fishing, although it is rich in mineral and oil resources. The US currently maintains a military base on the island.

In 2019, Mr. Trump expressed his intention to buy Greenland but was immediately and flatly rejected by the Danish government.

Recently, he also made comments regarding the idea of ​​annexing Canada as a US state or "reclaiming" control of the Panama Canal because of excessive shipping fees.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-trump-muon-my-mua-greenland-lanh-dao-dao-noi-khong-bao-gio-ban-185241224092642184.htm