Almost half of Danes now see US significant threat to country: Poll
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The overwhelming majority of the Danish people oppose Greenland joining the US.
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A glacier calves icebergs into a fjord off the Greenland ice sheet in southeastern Greenland, on August 3, 2017. (AP)
New polling reveals that nearly half of Danes view the US as a significant threat to their country, with a strong majority opposing Greenland's potential departure to become part of the US.
The YouGov research exclusively shared with The Guardian comes after weeks of tension between Denmark, Greenland, and the US over President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that he plans to take control of the territory, which is part of the Danish kingdom.
The island, home to 57,000 residents, was once ruled as a Danish colony.
A poll conducted between January 15 and 22, surveying just over 1,000 people in Denmark, found that 46% view the US as either "a very big threat" or "a fairly big threat" to the country.
Among those surveyed, 78% opposed Greenland being sold to the US, while 72% believed the final decision should be up to Greenland, not Denmark.
Additionally, an opinion poll published earlier this week revealed that 85% of Greenlanders do not want the island to become part of the US. The survey, conducted by the pollster Verian and commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske, showed that only 6% of Greenlanders supported the idea, with 9% remaining undecided.
Trump eyes Greenland, Danish PM calls for European unity
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."
Earlier last week, Trump renewed his push to acquire Greenland, reportedly pressing the idea in a tense phone call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
According to the Financial Times, the 45-minute conversation last week before his inauguration was described by European officials as "horrendous" and "a cold shower."
Despite Frederiksen's reiteration that Greenland is not for sale, Trump maintained a confrontational tone and responded firmly, particularly after Denmark offered to discuss expanded military cooperation instead.
One official remarked that the conversation left the Danish side "utterly freaked out," especially when threats of targeted tariffs were mentioned. Initially, European officials had viewed Trump's comments about acquiring Greenland as a bargaining chip to exert more influence in the Arctic, but the call dispelled those assumptions.
