The stone facade of Copenhagen’s Christiansborg – home to Denmark’s Folketinget parliament – looked solid as ever on a grey misty Thursday morning, even as tiny political fractures spread.
Hours earlier, Denmark and Greenland presented a united front in high-stakes talks in Washington over US ambitions to control the Arctic island.
Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen conceded that a “fundamental disagreement” remained with Washington over the largely self-governing island that, for three centuries, has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
But the Danish visitor managed to kick the can down the road, announcing a “high-level” working group to address US security concerns over Russian and Chinese presence in the region, while also respecting Danish “red lines”.
Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt, also in Washington for the talks, broke down during an interview on local TV on Thursday.
“We are very strong,” she told broadcastwr KNR, “[but] the past few days have been tough with all the preparations and the pressure, which is getting harder and harder.
On Thursday morning some Greenland MPs shattered the Washington show of harmony with Denmark by demanding more lee-way for their country in talks with the US
[ The Irish Times view on Trump and Greenland: fundamental disagreementOpens in new window ]
For Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, who sits for the pro-independence Naleraq party in Copenhagen, such leeway would be a welcome “trust-building exercise” for Greenlanders.
Allowing “Greenland talk to foreign actors without Denmark necessarily being present … will give a higher level of trust.
Christiansborg Palace, which houses the Danish parliament, in Copenhagen. Photograph: Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto/Getty Images
“In this way, Denmark will deal with what is happening closer to Denmark – for example, with Russia and Ukraine – while trusting that the Greenlandic government can live up to the protection of Greenland,” she said.
That is unlikely to happen. Such an arrangement is not provided for under the current set-up between Greenland and Denmark, with the latter retaining sole competence over defence, foreign and security policy.
Denmark also finances one-fifth of Greenland’s annual budget.
In a Facebook post, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark remained determined to “prevent” a US takeover of Greenland and would “continue our efforts to prevent this scenario from becoming a reality”.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, reiterated that his island “is not for sale”, and praised the Washington agreement for outlining “dialogue and diplomacy as the right way forward”.
Both leaders welcomed a growing consensus within Nato’s European neighbours about strengthening their military presence in the Arctic.
On Thursday, officers from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and the Netherlands all arrived in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, for a weeklong inspection.
[ The battle for Greenland: The billionaire behind Donald Trump’s obsessionOpens in new window ]
Back in Copenhagen, 21-year-old student Solveig said she hoped the Greenland question would be resolved soon – with full independence for the island, allowing it decide its future path alone.
“This is embarrassing hold-over from imperialist era that needs to be settled,” she said. “Though my parents wouldn’t agree.”
Anette, a 65 year-old healthcare worker, said most Danes felt indifferent towards Greenland, but she felt sorry for the uncertainty Greenlanders faced.
“We don’t have ownership of Greenland, only Greenlanders can decide their future,” she said. “But I see how many Greenlanders come here for cancer treatment – for free. I don’t think the US would offer a better deal to Greenland as their 51st state, nor would they respect the natural environment that is so important for people there.”
Keld, an 85-year-old retired reservist lieutenant said he felt most sorry for ordinary Americans living with Donald Trump.
“When I was younger we used to respect the US, but now I simply don’t understand the stupidity,” he said outside the Christiansborg Palace.
Inside, house speaker Søren Gade announced that the red-and-white Greenland will flag over parliament on Friday.
The decision was a show of solidarity with the island on the other side of the Atlantic, he said.
Left unsaid: the Greenland flag as a show of Danish determination in advance of a much-anticipated Friday visit by US politicians.