ANKARA, Turkey, July 7 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Greenland should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark, as NATO leaders gathered for a summit in Turkey.
Trump’s assertions that the U.S. must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, sparked tensions between Washington and Copenhagen – both founding NATO members – and more broadly across Europe. The issue has since moved to a diplomatic track.
“That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Trump said the issue of control over Greenland had harmed U.S. ties with NATO.
“That’s what hurt my relationship with NATO, because Greenland doesn’t help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States, and it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships, and that’s not going to happen,” he said.
“They wouldn’t go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia.”
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said in June that conversations with Denmark and Greenland were continuing monthly.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; writing by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Doina Chiacu and David Ljunggren)