U.S. Vice President JD Vance (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio be 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 Photos Information | Getty Photos
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 Overseas 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 mentioned that if the self-governing Danish territory should select between the U.S. and Denmark, “we select Denmark.”
Frederiksen additionally mentioned it had not been simple to face as much as what she described as “utterly unacceptable stress” from our closest ally. “However there’s 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 mentioned that the island, which is strategically located between Europe and North America, is important “from the standpoint of nationwide safety.”
Talking to reporters on board Air Pressure One in current days, Trump mentioned the U.S. would take management of Greenland “come what may,” even when it strains the connection inside the NATO navy alliance.
Trump’s feedback have raised alarm in Denmark, which is accountable for the protection of Greenland, with Frederiksen cautioning {that a} U.S. assault would mark the tip of NATO.
Protection and assets
Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at GMF, a Washington-based assume tank, mentioned the stakes had been “very excessive” for the talks, warning that failure to resolve the diplomatic disaster “doesn’t simply threaten NATO cohesion, it threatens the long run 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 mentioned.
Greenland’s Head of Authorities (Naalakkersuisut) Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen give a press release on the present scenario 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 Photos
“There may very well be new European commitments to strengthening the defence of Greenland, and extra essential, the encircling maritime house. There may also be parallel talks round new and preferential US entry to Greenland’s assets,” Lesser advised CNBC by e-mail.
“Or, the assembly may 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 a scarcity of respect because the assembly veered sharply off observe, devolving into a unprecedented shouting match stay on digicam.
‘A profound disaster’
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, mentioned he doesn’t count on the U.S., Greenland, and Denmark to have the ability to discover a diplomatic answer on Wednesday, describing the scenario as “a profound disaster.”
“I feel there was a major change, I feel it was yesterday, when it was introduced in Washington that JD Vance, the vp, was going to take over the assembly,” Bildt advised CNBC’s “Europe Early Version” on Wednesday.
“It was scheduled to be with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has indicated a barely milder strategy, however JD Vance has, after all, been straight insulting in direction of Denmark and demanding very unusual issues,” Bildt mentioned.
“I count on a reasonably laborious assembly. I do not count on any decision. At greatest, I count on that they may provoke the method of talks of some kind,” he added.
Bildt, who serves as co-chair of the European Council on Overseas Relations assume tank, referred to JD Vance’s remarks on the Munich Safety Convention in February final yr, saying his “moderately 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 very good end result appear like?
Otto Svendsen, affiliate fellow with the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research, a Washington-based assume tank, mentioned 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 mentioned, will present additional clues as to how dedicated your entire Trump administration is to buying Greenland — and the way deterred the administration is to threats of a whole breakdown in bilateral relations.
“An excellent end result for the Danes and Greenlanders could be a press release that affirms Greenland’s sovereignty and place inside the Kingdom. Something wanting that leaves the door open to continued threats and coercion,” Svendsen advised CNBC by e-mail.
“In return, the Danish and Greenlandic delegation will seemingly supply plans to revisit financial and safety preparations among the many three nations, equivalent to extra favorable entry for U.S. corporations 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 individuals. It’s for Denmark and Greenland, and them solely, to resolve on issues regarding Denmark and Greenland,” the leaders mentioned. 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.
