JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that Washington would take decisive steps to eliminate what he called the "Russian threat" in Greenland.
"NATO has been telling Denmark for 20 years 'you have to get rid of the Russian threat from Greenland'. Unfortunately, Denmark is not able to do anything about it. Now is the time, and it will be done!!!" Trump wrote on the Truth Social social media platform, as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Monday, January 19.
Previously on Sunday (18/1), NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Trump discussed the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic region in a telephone conversation. Rutte said the two would continue to work together on this matter.
"I'm looking forward to meeting him (Trump) in Davos this weekend," Rutte said.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark that has long attracted the interest of the United States due to its strategic location and abundant mineral resources, as well as concerns over increased Russian and Chinese activity.
In a latest move, Trump on Saturday said Washington would impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from eight European countries, namely Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland, starting February 1.
Trump also set a tariff increase to 25 percent to be imposed in June, in response to the countries' rejection of US control over Greenland.
Following the announcement, the eight European countries issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning the US threat and reaffirming their commitment to Arctic security.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin last week recognized Greenland's legal status as part of Denmark, calling the latest situation on the island "very controversial".
"We depart from the understanding that Greenland is a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
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