Denmark is on a campaign to remind the United States of the two countries' long-standing relationship as the Trump administration talks about annexing Greenland.
Denmark was one of the original countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance after World War II. Though the U.S. has not taken any formal action, President Donald Trump has talked about taking over the independent country, which is part of the larger kingdom of Denmark. He cites the security needs as one rationale.
At one time, the United States had 17 bases in Greenland. The U.S. consolidated to one after the Cold War, said Jesper Moller Sorensen, Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S.
“We have had a defense agreement with the United States since 1951 that provides the U.S. access and can operate military bases,” Sorensen said.
The public dialog has been harsh. A month ago, Sorensen was in a social media battle with Sen. Tommy Tuberville over whether the people of Greenland wanted to be annexed. Behind the scenes talks are less fraught, he said.
“I'm not going to go into any details, but I can just assure you that I have very constructive dialogue in Washington, D.C., and with members of the Trump administration,” Sorenson said. “We are so interested in having a fruitful working relationship with the United States. But what is important is, of course, that the people of Greenland have to decide the future of their country.”
The ambassador spoke before the World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads at the Norfolk Yacht Club as part of the NATO Festival. The lunch included a panel that featured representatives from Finland and Estonia, as well as French Adml. Pierre Vandier, commander of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, which is headquartered in Norfolk.
Officials at the gathering emphasized the need to continue to support Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. Countries near the border with Russia feel increasingly threatened. There is also a growing realization that Europeans will have to spend more of their gross national product on defense, even as a record 23 of the 32 NATO countries have reached the 2 percent threshold set by the alliance.
