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Most residents of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, reject the idea of becoming part of the United States. According to a poll conducted by Verian for the Danish newspaper Sermitsiaq, 85% of respondents opposed the idea, while only 6% supported a possible transition to US control and 9% remained undecided, Reuters reports.
The poll results come after US President Donald Trump called Greenland “vital to US security” and called on Denmark to cede control of the island. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed the inviolability of international borders, receiving support from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Copenhagen has already announced its intention to increase its military presence in the Arctic, allocating 14.6 billion Danish kroner (approximately $2.04 billion).
Greenland, which is larger than Mexico, has only 57,000 inhabitants and has enjoyed broad autonomy since 2009, including the right to vote for independence from Denmark in a referendum. The island’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has repeatedly stated that Greenland is “not for sale” and that its future will be determined solely by its citizens.
The United States already has a military presence in the region – the Pituffik Strategic Air Base in the northwestern part of the island. This base plays a key role in the early warning system for intercontinental ballistic missile launches, as Greenland is the shortest route between Europe and North America.
