A group of comrades rehabilitating military veterans amid Greenland’s frozen splendour knows more than most what is at stake if the island ends up in the hands of a president 2,600 miles away.
Veterans’ Project Greenland said Donald Trump’s designs on the semi-autonomous territory are ‘disrespectful’ to decades of service in world conflicts uniting the US and the Kingdom of Denmark.
The association has been left dismayed by the latest talk of an acquisition— possibly by military force — from the president’s camp.
Following the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has intensified his focus on the strategically valuable island, which he has long wanted to acquire for the US.
The White House said yesterday that ‘the president and his team are discussing a range of options’, which included ‘utilizing’ the military in taking over the territory, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
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Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the US, which already has a military base on the territory, according to opinion polls.
The voluntary and non-political project has a vested interest as a support group for veterans and their families on the world’s largest island.
In a joint statement, chairman Gerth Sloth Berthelsen and vice chairman Mads Rasmussen told Metro: ‘The unstable security situation surrounding Greenland has shaken us.
‘For us, one thing is clear: Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people.
‘At the same time, we are shocked by the United States’ conduct and the disrespect we are witnessing in general and in relation to international law. This applies both towards the Greenlandic people and towards the veterans who live across the Kingdom of Denmark.’
Denmark and the US have a long history of fighting side-by-side, including during World War Two and Afghanistan and Iraq, with troops from the Scandinavian country supporting the war on terror.
Bilateral relations deepened when Denmark joined NATO in 1949, since when it has consistently supported US security initiatives.
The project is part of this legacy as it supports former service members with recognised needs, including those with mental health issues.
The Denmark-based organisation celebrates the country’s national veterans’ day, known as Flag Day, every year on September 5.
‘We have for decades fought side by side with American forces in conflicts around the world,’ the chairman and vice chairman said.
‘It is, quite simply, disrespectful – towards the Greenlandic people and towards the veterans throughout the Kingdom of Denmark.’
Mr Berthelsen and Mr Rasmussen emphasised that they do not speak for all Danish veterans, only for their own association.
The US president first raised the idea of acquiring Greenland during his maiden presidential term in 2019 and classifies the island as a ‘national security priority’ for the US.
Russia and China have also taken an interest in the self-governing territory, which has rare earth mineral deposits and the potential of new trade routes as ice melts.
Other comments attributed to the Trump camp this week suggested that the home of the world’s largest ice sheet might be acquired by the US without the use of military force.
The soft options could involve the outright purchase of the territory or forming a Compact of Free Association, an unnamed senior US official told the Reuters news agency.
Greenland’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has described Trump’s designs as a ‘fantasy’ and urged that all parties abide by international law.
Mr Nielsen said: “No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.’
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