Danish PM hopes for peaceful cooperation with US on Arctic, Greenland

ROVANIEMI, Finland - Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday she hoped Denmark and the United States could find a way forward through peaceful cooperation on issues concerning the Arctic and Greenland.

Speaking at a press conference following the European Arctic Summit in the northern Finnish city of Rovaniemi, Frederiksen said Greenland had been under pressure and thanked European partners for their strong support.

She said Denmark wants closer cooperation with the United States on security and defense, including in Greenland. A high-level working group on Greenland is still working, making it too early to draw conclusions, she added but expressed optimism about the prospects for progress.

"My hope is, of course, that we will find a way forward in peaceful cooperation," Frederiksen said.

On Arctic security, she said several allies were exercising together in Greenland, while European and transatlantic partners were collectively taking greater responsibility for security in Greenland and the wider Arctic.

The summit, held on Sept 13-14, aimed to strengthen the European Union's common strategic approach to the Arctic amid the region's growing geopolitical importance.

Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Since returning to the White House in 2025, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for US control of the island, straining relations with Denmark and other European allies.