Danish PM Frederiksen Reaffirms Commitment to Defend All NATO Territory
Denmark's Stance on NATO and Territorial Defense
Frederiksen's Statement in Ankara
ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - Denmark is ready to defend every inch of NATO, including the kingdom of Denmark, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in Ankara on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that Greenland should be controlled by the U.S.
U.S. Demands Over Greenland
Trump's assertions that the U.S. must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, have long strained relations between Washington and Copenhagen — both founding NATO members — and more broadly U.S. ties with Europe. The issue has since moved to a diplomatic track.
Denmark's Position on Greenland
"We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory ... Of course we will defend the kingdom of Denmark," Frederiksen said, reiterating that Greenland was not for sale.
NATO's Foundational Principles
"One of the reasons why we have built NATO many, many years ago, is if anything happens to one of us, then everybody should stand up for each other," she said.
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
