Greenland to collaborate with US on critical resource mining
Greenland responded to Donald Trump's remarks about acquiring the island by proposing cooperation with the US in extracting critical resources. These resources are essential for renewable energy and defense.
The Greenlandic authorities reacted to Donald Trump's statement of interest in acquiring the island by suggesting cooperation with the United States in extracting vital resources. These resources are crucial for the renewable energy and defense sectors.
Greenland looks forward to working with the incoming US administration and other NATO allies to ensure security and stability in the Arctic region, emphasized Greenland's Minister for Independence and Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt.
The minister also added that "Greenland belongs to the People of Greenland. The fight for independence is Greenland's own matter. Our future is ours and must be defined by us. We are aware of our rights as a People with the right to self-determination."
Currently in Denmark, Minister Motzfeldt and the island's Prime Minister Mute Egede met in Copenhagen with US Ambassador Alan Leventhal, as reported by the American diplomatic mission on Instagram on Thursday.
Talks between Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Denmark
On Friday, discussions are scheduled in the Danish capital between the authorities of Greenland and the Faroe Islands and Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen. In connection with this, a meeting is set for Thursday with the head of the Danish government and all parties in the Danish parliament. Frederiksen announced through social media the conducting of telephone conversations with European state leaders, stating that "not everything can be written about."
According to the Greenlandic government, in addition to oil and gas deposits, 25 out of 34 critical resources, minerals, and metals sought by the EU are found on the island. Among these are elements like neodymium and dysprosium. In March 2024, the European Commission opened an office in the island's capital, Nuuk.
The deposits of rare metals in Greenland are estimated at 42 million tons. Currently, China has a monopoly on the extraction of many of them. The area of Greenland, previously covered by ice, is becoming increasingly accessible to the mining industry due to climate changes.
Critical resources are those with particular importance for sectors like renewable energy (battery cells for cars, motors for wind turbines), space, digitalization, and defense.
In recent weeks, public attention has been drawn to controversial statements by US President-elect Donald Trump regarding, among other things, the purchase of Greenland from Denmark, taking control of the Panama Canal, or annexing Canada and making it the 51st state of the USA.
