By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Louise Rasmussen
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Greenland and Denmark agreed on Sunday to strengthen their ties in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in taking control of the strategically located Arctic island, their leaders said after talks in Copenhagen.
Greenland’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen landed in the Danish capital on Saturday for a three-day visit, in a display of unity between the mineral-rich island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and Denmark.
"We are in a foreign policy situation which means we have to move closer together," Nielsen said at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Nielsen’s visit follows months of tension over Trump’s repeated declarations that Greenland should become part of the United States.
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only Greenlanders can decide the territory’s future. However, they have found themselves treading a delicate line between firmly dismissing U.S. ambitions of annexing Greenland while also trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.
"We are ready for a strong partnership (with the U.S.) and more development, but we want respect ... We will never be a piece of property that can be bought by anyone," Nielsen said.
He said an ongoing expansion of the U.S. consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, which was agreed before Trump took office, was causing anxiety among the people of Greenland.
Nielsen did not confirm or deny when asked if he had been in contact with the U.S. administration since taking office earlier this month.
The warmer relations between Nuuk and Copenhagen come after Greenland’s previous prime minister in December blamed Denmark for a historical "genocide" in Greenland and in January stepped up a push for independence from Denmark.
Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to invest more in Greenland and to support Greenland financially as it takes over more responsibility of domestic affairs from Copenhagen as part of what she called a "modernisation" of their relationship.
Denmark has called for increased Arctic defence collaboration with the United States, and both Nielsen and Frederiksen said on Sunday they were committed to strengthening defence in the region.
Denmark’s King Frederik will travel to Greenland on Monday in a further show of solidarity.