Vance announcement escalates Greenland tension, invitation from dog sled race revealed, new military service rules and more news from Denmark this Wednesday.
Vance to visit Greenland as Trump ups pressure
US Vice President JD Vance will visit a US military base in Greenland on Friday, adding to pressure on the autonomous Danish territory that Donald Trump wants to take over.
Vance, who has become Trump’s attack dog on foreign policy matters, will travel with his wife Usha to Pituffik Space Base “to receive a briefing on Arctic security issues and meet with US servicemembers,” his office said Tuesday in a statement.
The announcement came just hours after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the US second lady’s planned visit to Greenland — prior to the vice president stating he would accompany his wife — as putting “unacceptable pressure” on both the territory and Denmark.
“There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided that I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself, and so I’m going to join her,” Vance said in a video Tuesday.
Frederiksen denounces Vance visit
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen late yesterday denounced Vance’s announcement, saying it puts “unacceptable pressure” on both the territory and her country.
The visits, presented as private, have angered Danish and Greenlandic politicians.
“You can’t organise a private visit with official representatives of another country,” Frederiksen told reporters.
The visit comes at a time of political flux in Greenland, where parties are still negotiating to form a new coalition government following a March 11th general election.
“This is clearly not a visit that is about what Greenland needs or wants,” Frederiksen told broadcaster DR.
“That’s why I have to say that the pressure being put on Greenland and Denmark in this situation is unacceptable. And it’s pressure we will resist.”
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American defence minister was invited by Greenland dog race organiser
The organiser of the dog sled race which will be visited by the US delegation invited US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to attend, Greenlandic media outlet KNR has revealed based on a public records request.
Trump has previously claimed the American delegation had been invited to Greenland without giving further detail, while both the Nuuk and Copenhagen governments stated no official invitation had been issued.
Mikkel Jeremiassen, chairman of the organisation Kalaallit Nunaanni Qimussertartut Kattuffia, invited Hegseth on February 16th according to the report. The organisation has admitted to receiving financial support from the United States.
Jeremiassen, who previously denied any connection to the visit, reportedly wrote “it is a great honour, on behalf of Kalaallit Nunaanni Qimussertartut Kattuffiat, to invite you to attend and participate in the prestigious dog sled race in Greenland.”
Hegseth, the recipient of the invitation, is however not part of the delegation which will visit Greenland.
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Military service rules for women changed
The Ministry of Defence yesterday announced it was bringing forward military service for women by two years.
“In light of the current defence and security policy situation, the armed forces need to recruit more people,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a statement.
Women who turn 18 after July 1st, 2025, could be required to take part in an annual ballot from next year to determine which ones must perform mandatory military service, something which is already required of men.
“This is therefore an important signal to move up full equality between men and women to July 1st, 2025,” said Poulsen.
The annual ballot would only take place if there were not enough volunteers that year.