85% of Greenlanders do not want to join US: New poll
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A new survey conducted by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske, found that only 6% of Greenlanders support joining the US, while 9% remain undecided.
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Homes are illuminated after the sunset in Tasiilaq, Greenland, on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019 (AP)
Eighty-five (85%) of Greenlanders oppose their island becoming part of the United States, a new opinion poll revealed, following Donald Trump’s renewed call for US control over the semi-autonomous Danish territory, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.
Since his re-election, the US President has reiterated his interest in acquiring the Arctic island, which is under Danish sovereignty but enjoys significant autonomy.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump stated, "I think we’re going to have it," claiming that the Arctic island’s 57,000 residents "want to be with us."
However, a new survey conducted by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske, found that only 6% of Greenlanders support joining the US, while 9% remain undecided.
"It's the first poll that asked a representative section of Greenland's population and I think this is very important," Kasper Moller Hansen, a political science professor at the University of Copenhagen, told AFP.
"I think this poll shows very clearly that they do not want to be American," he pointed out.
Around 45% of Greenlanders view Trump's interest in their island as a "threat", while 43% view it as an "opportunity" and 13% are undecided, according to the poll.
The poll questioned 497 respondents 18 years and older between January 22 and 26 and had a margin of error of 1.9 to 4.4 percentage points.
Danish PM calls on Europe to 'stand together'
The poll comes as Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on Europe to “stand together” in response to shifting relations with the United States, during a diplomatic tour of Berlin, Paris, and Brussels.
Following her meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Frederiksen stated, "I want to ensure that all of Europe stands together. Not only in connection with the kingdom of Denmark but also more broadly."
Frederiksen, who also met with French President Emmanuel Macron, added, "Everyone in Europe can see that it will be a different collaboration with the USA now."
Scholz emphasized that "borders must not be moved by force."
Speaking ahead of her final stop in Brussels, where she was set to meet NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Frederiksen said she was working “very, very hard right now” to safeguard Denmark’s interests.
"Regardless of what happens in the USA, Europe must stand stronger in its own right," she asserted.
Trump has refused to rule out the use of military force to seize Greenland—a territory that remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which retains control over its foreign policy and defense.
Over the weekend, Trump appeared to double down on his geopolitical ambitions, declaring, “I think we’re going to have [Greenland],” and was reportedly considering tariffs against Denmark.
Asked whether she would engage with Trump again, Frederiksen declined to provide specifics, saying she would not “go into concrete calendar gymnastics,” but added, “The dialogue we have with the Americans takes place on several different channels and levels.”
So far, most EU leaders have refrained from directly commenting on Trump’s statements about Greenland, with sources indicating this is a deliberate strategy.
A senior EU official stated that a decision had been made “not to go for a tit-for-tat because it is not seen as helpful.”
The Danish government had unveiled a series of measures—on defense and efforts to combat discrimination against Greenlandic people in Denmark—aimed at addressing concerns among both Greenlanders and the US.
Frederiksen has faced a challenging January, as Denmark has been directly targeted by the US with public threats, including not only tariffs but also potential military intervention over Greenland.
On Sunday night, amid reports of a reportedly "horrendous" 45-minute phone call with Trump, Frederiksen sought to project Nordic unity, sharing a social media photo of a casual kitchen-table dinner with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
This week, Denmark announced a 14.6 billion-krone (£1.65 billion, $2 billion) agreement with Greenland and the Faroe Islands to “improve surveillance and sovereignty assertion in the regions.”
The plan includes the deployment of three new Arctic ships capable of carrying helicopters and drones, two long-range drones for detailed imaging over vast distances, and improved satellite capacity for monitoring the Arctic and North Atlantic.
The Danish government also stated that the agreement aims to enable more young people in Greenland—home to a population of 57,000—to develop skills that will allow them "to take responsibility for preparedness and asserting sovereignty.”
Read more: EU pushes for troops in Greenland amid US presence
