US visit to Greenland sparks sovereignty concerns
The planned visit of the American delegation to Greenland has been met with criticism from both local and Danish authorities. Although the visit is described as private, it raises concerns about potential interference in the island's internal affairs.
The U.S. delegation visiting Greenland includes the wife of the U.S. Vice President, Usha Vance, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Energy Minister Chris Wright. This visit has sparked opposition from Greenlandic and Danish authorities. According to the Polish Press Agency, Greenland's Acting Prime Minister Mute B. Egede emphasized that the visit cannot simply be viewed as a private matter.
"It should be said clearly that our integrity and democracy must be respected without foreign interference," Egede wrote on Facebook.
Egede noted that a meeting with the American delegation will not occur until a new government is formed in Greenland. Elections took place at the beginning of March, and the new authorities have yet to be established. The Prime Minister called on residents to unite in defense of the country, referring to an anti-American demonstration that took place in mid-March in front of the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also expressed her concerns, emphasizing that the visit of the U.S. delegation cannot be viewed in isolation from earlier statements by President Donald Trump, who expressed a desire to acquire Greenland.
— In the kingdom, we want to cooperate with the Americans. But it must be a cooperation that is based on the fundamental values of sovereignty and respect between countries and peoples, — Frederiksen stated.
Experts' concerns
Claus Mathisen of the Royal Danish Defense Academy compared the visit of American officials to the situation in Crimea before its annexation by Russia. "American politicians will come en masse and seek to make Greenland American," Mathisen wrote on Facebook.
Meanwhile, retired political science professor Drude Dahlerup from Stockholm University pointed out that it can be viewed as deceptive to call the American delegation's trip private. Dahlerup recalled the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump's son in early January, which initially seemed like a simple trip but later appeared aimed at garnering Greenlanders' support for Trump.
Local media report that a plane with American security services has already landed in Greenland, and additional police forces have been dispatched by the authorities in Copenhagen. The newspaper "Sermitsiaq" revealed that Usha Vance will visit Nuuk and Sisimiut, where on March 29 she is scheduled to watch the Avannaata Qimussersua dog sled race. The event organizers received a grant from the United States through the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk.
