Denmark, Greenland ministers to attend White House talks on Greenland

OSLO -- Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt will attend talks held in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, said Danish local media on Tuesday.

The talks, to be held at the White House with Vance as the host, aim to bring discussions concerning Greenland "into the meeting room" for a direct and frank dialogue between the two allies, Rasmussen told reporters after a meeting with the Danish Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee.

In a related move, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on the same occasion that he will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte alongside Motzfeldt on Jan 19. He further emphasized the Danish government's commitment to "a more permanent and larger military presence" for Denmark and its NATO allies around Greenland.

Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over its defense and foreign policy. The United States maintains a military base on the island.

The upcoming talks occur amid sustained tensions, as US President Donald Trump, since returning to office in 2025, has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland and has not ruled out the use of force.