King Frederik visits Greenland to underscore unity amid U.S. pressure

The visit is intended to emphasize the unity of Denmark and Greenland amid renewed interest from the U.S. in acquiring the territory, Reuters said.

King Frederik was met on the tarmac by Greenland’s Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen and parliamentary speaker Kim Kielsen. He visited a school, the headquarters of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, and Royal Greenland, the island’s largest seafood company. On Feb. 19 he is scheduled to visit the western coastal town of Maniitsoq and on Feb. 20 to attend a basic Arctic training program in Kangerlussuaq.

The trip follows a flurry of diplomatic activity after a period of heightened tensions between Greenland, Denmark and the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the United States is ready to buy Greenland from Denmark. He has also suggested he could consider military action on the island over what he described as U.S. “national security” concerns and threats from Russia and China.

On Jan. 21, during remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the U.S. president said he would not use force to take Greenland. At the same time, he reiterated that the United States wants to obtain the island in order to provide it protection.

On Jan. 26, Reuters, citing sources, reported that the Trump administration had decided to abandon a military invasion of Greenland due to the threat of impeachment.