Overview
Officials from the United States, Greenland and Denmark convened on Wednesday in the first formal diplomatic discussions intended to ease a recent dispute over the Arctic territory of Greenland. The Danish foreign ministry confirmed the meeting, saying the three parties had come together to seek a way forward after months of elevated tensions.
What was said
In a written comment to Reuters, Denmark’s foreign ministry said that senior officials from Denmark, Greenland and the United States had met to "discuss how we can address American concerns about security in the Arctic while respecting the Kingdom’s red lines." The comment framed the talks as a balancing exercise between addressing U.S. security priorities and upholding boundaries set by the Kingdom that includes Greenland.
Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier on Wednesday that the United States has established a process regarding Greenland and that there will be technical level meetings involving officials from Greenland and Denmark to work the issue through detailed discussions. The announcement indicated a shift from public confrontation to a more institutional dialogue.
Background and context
The diplomatic engagement follows months of tensions between Denmark and the United States. Both countries are founding members of NATO, and the dispute over Greenland had at one point risked straining the transatlantic alliance.
President Donald Trump’s repeated public calls for U.S. control over Greenland, which he linked to national security concerns involving Russia and China, were a central factor in the tensions. Those calls earlier threatened to fracture relations between the two NATO allies before officials moved the matter onto a diplomatic track.
Next steps
According to the U.S. official statement, the new process will include technical level meetings with Greenland and Denmark to address the security-related questions raised by the United States. The Danish foreign ministry comment indicates that the parties aim to manage U.S. concerns while maintaining the Kingdom’s stated limits.
Note: This report reflects statements and developments as described by the parties involved. Where available, direct quotations from official comments have been included.