Melike Pala
22 January 2026•Update: 23 January 2026
BRUSSELS
Following Wednesday's meeting between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump, Denmark is in a "much better position" regarding its sovereignty over parts of the kingdom, the Danish defense minister said on Thursday.
"We have a clear red line. We will not relinquish sovereignty over parts of the Kingdom," Troels Lund Poulsen wrote on US social media platform X.
"There will undoubtedly be more difficult conversations with the Americans, but following Wednesday's meeting between NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Donald Trump, we are in a much better position today than we were yesterday. I am very pleased about that," he said.
He added that he had several conversations with Rutte on Wednesday evening, following his meeting with Trump.
The minister also recalled his last meeting in Brussels with Rutte and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt on Jan. 19, adding: "We told Mark Rutte about the Kingdom's red lines, and I believe our meeting was very useful for Rutte in terms of understanding the Kingdom's position."
Poulsen stressed that while Rutte cannot negotiate on Denmark's or Greenland's behalf, he has "worked loyally for unity in NATO," welcoming NATO's plans to strengthen security in and around the Arctic.
Rutte and Trump met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, amid recent tensions between Europe and the US over Greenland. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart described the encounter as "a very productive meeting."
Trump later stated on his Truth Social platform that a framework for a potential deal involving Greenland and the broader Arctic region had been established.
The US leader has shown interest in Greenland because of its strategic Arctic location, rich mineral resources, and concerns over increasing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected any proposals to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.
