Greenland PM Declines Trump’s Plan to Send a U.S. Hospital Ship

Policy and Diplomatic Context

COPENHAGEN, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Sunday "no thanks" to U.S. President Donald Trump's idea of sending a hospital ship to Greenland, a territory that Trump has repeatedly said he wishes to take over.

Role of Gov. Jeff Landry

U.S. Proposal Announced on Social Media

Trump said on Saturday on social media he was working with Louisiana Governor and special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, to send a hospital boat to Greenland.

Free Treatment as Policy

Greenland’s Public Healthcare Stance

"President Trump's idea of ​​sending an American hospital ship here to Greenland has been noted. But we have a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens. It is a deliberate choice," Nielsen said in a post on Facebook.

Openness to Dialogue with Washington

Nielsen said Greenland remained open to dialogue and cooperation, also with the U.S.

"But talk to us instead of just making more or less random outbursts on social media," he said. 

NATO Strains and Ongoing Talks

Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. late last month launched diplomatic talks to resolve the crisis between the parties, following months of tension within the NATO defence alliance over Trump's threats against the Arctic territory.

Medical Evacuation in Greenlandic Waters

Trump's post on the ship came hours after Denmark's Joint Arctic Command said it had evacuated a crew member who required urgent medical treatment from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters, seven nautical miles outside of Greenland's capital, Nuuk. It was unclear if the post had any connection to the evacuation.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Louise Rasmussen)