Trump's Envoy Says US Not Seeking to Annex Greenland

JAKARTA - The newly appointed US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Greenland, Jeff Landry, confirmed that the United States (US) wants to "open a dialogue" with the people of Greenland without aiming to "conquer" the island.

As reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Landry underlined that discussions must be carried out with the people of Greenland to understand what they want in the future.

"What are they looking for? What opportunities have they not gotten? Why have they not gotten the protection they really deserve?" he asked in an interview with Fox News.

In polls, Greenlandic residents have consistently expressed opposition to the annexation of their territory by the US.

Trump announced on Sunday (21/12), Landry, who also served as governor of the state of Louisiana but had little experience in diplomacy, would serve as the US special envoy to Greenland.

In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's prime minister, said in a joint statement that Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, has attracted the interest of the US due to its strategic location and abundant mineral resources.

Trump said the US needed Greenland for "national security reasons, not for minerals."

After Landry's appointment, the European Union on Monday (22/12) expressed solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

Trump's oft-repeated desire to make Greenland and Canada U.S. territories has drawn widespread criticism, with many analysts warning his push would alienate a key NATO ally.