Denmark boosts Greenland defence after Trump repeats desire for US control

The Danish authorities has introduced an enormous enhance in defence spending for Greenland, hours after US President-elect Donald Trump repeated his want to buy the Arctic territory.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated the bundle was a “double digit billion quantity” in krone, or at the least $1.5bn (£1.2bn).

He described the timing of the announcement as an “irony of destiny”. On Monday Trump stated possession and management of the massive island was an “absolute necessity” for the US.

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is house to a big US area facility and is strategically necessary for the US, mendacity on the shortest route from North America to Europe. It has main mineral reserves.

Poulsen stated the bundle would enable for the acquisition of two new inspection ships, two new long-range drones and two additional canine sled groups.

It could additionally embrace funding for elevated staffing at Arctic Command within the capital Nuuk and an improve for one in every of Greenland’s three foremost civilian airports to deal with F-35 supersonic fighter plane.

“We’ve got not invested sufficient within the Arctic for a few years, now we’re planning a stronger presence,” he stated.

The defence minister didn’t give an actual determine for the bundle, however Danish media estimated it might be round 12-15bn krone.

The announcement got here a day after Trump stated on his social media platform Fact Social: “For functions of Nationwide Safety and Freedom all through the World, the US of America feels that the possession and management of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede responded to Trump’s feedback, saying “we aren’t on the market”.

However he added that Greenlanders ought to proceed to be open for cooperation and commerce, particularly with their neighbours.

Analysts say that the plan has been underneath dialogue for a very long time and shouldn’t be seen as a direct response to Trump’s feedback.

Till now Denmark has been very sluggish to broaden its navy capability in Greenland, they are saying, but when the nation isn’t capable of defend waters across the territory in opposition to encroachments by China and Russia then US calls for for better management are more likely to develop.

Military Maj Steen Kjaergaard of the Danish Defence Academy suggests it could have been Trump’s intention to stress Denmark into such a transfer.

“It’s more likely to be sparked by the renewed Trump give attention to the necessity for air and maritime management round Greenland and the inner developments in Greenland the place some are voicing a will to look in the direction of the US – a brand new worldwide airport in Nuuk was simply inaugurated,” he informed the BBC.

“I believe Trump is wise… he will get Denmark to prioritise its Arctic navy capabilities by elevating this voice, with out having to take over a really un-American welfare system,” he added, referring to Greenland’s heavy dependence on subsidies from Copenhagen.

Trump’s unique suggestion in 2019 that the US purchase Greenland, which is the world’s largest island, led to a equally sharp rebuke from leaders there.

On the time Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen described the thought as “absurd”, main Trump to cancel a state journey to the nation.

He isn’t the primary US president to recommend shopping for Greenland. The thought was first mooted throughout the 1860s underneath the presidency of Andrew Johnson.