'We don't want to be Americans': Greenland's parties hit back as Trump warns of military action, vows to ‘do something’ | Today News

US President Donald Trump's ‘Greenland’ ambitions remain unfazed with the POTUS warning that Washington was ‘going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.’ The Arctic island's political parties, however have declared that they do not want to be Americans, or Danish.

“We don't want to be Americans, we don't want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders," the leaders of five parties in Greenland's parliament said, reported AFP.

“No other country can meddle in this. We must decide our country's future ourselves – without pressure to make a hasty decision, without procrastination, and without interference from other countries."

“The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders," they said.

European capitals have been scrambling to come up with a coordinated response after the White House said this week that Trump wanted to buy Greenland and refused to rule out military action.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he thinks the the US needs to control Greenland to ensure the security of America and its NATO allies – a view the allies, and the island nation's leaders vehemently disagree with.

Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump's threats on Greenland, a strategic island between North America and the Arctic where the United States has had a military base since World War II.

Trump says controlling the island is crucial for US national security given the rising military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic.

Both Russia and China have increased military activity in the region in recent years, but neither has laid any claim to the vast icy island.

“I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if not, we are going to do it the hard way... When we own it, we defend it...,” Trump said

Trump had offered to buy Greenland in 2019 during his first presidential term but was rebuffed.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet next week with Denmark's foreign minister and representatives from Greenland.

A US invasion would pit Washington against fellow NATO member Denmark and threaten to blow up the entire military alliance, which is based on a mutual self-defence clause.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an invasion of Greenland would end "everything", meaning the transatlantic NATO defence pact and the post-World War II security structure.

The head of NATO's forces in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich, said Friday the military alliance was far from being in "a crisis", following Trump's threats to bring Greenland under US control.