Davos, Switzerland, Jan 21 (EFE).- President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out using military force to seize Greenland but warned that the United States wants “immediate negotiations,” insisting Washington alone can protect the Arctic territory.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump recalled how the US defended the territory on Denmark’s behalf during World War II.
“No nation or the group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States. We are a great power. Much greater than the people will ever understand,” Trump told the forum.
“We saved this is World War 2 when Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting… We saved Greenland and successfully prevented our enemies from gaining a foothold in our hemisphere,” Trump said.
“After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? But we did,” he said, calling Denmark an “ungrateful” nation.
Calling Greenland a “giant mass of land, giant piece of ice” that the US is seeking to make the world “safe for Europe and safe for us.”
“That’s the reason I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the US,” Trump said.
“We want a piece of ice for world protection and they won’t give it. They have a choice: They can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no and we will remember.”
He said the US had always been there “100 percent” when needed security. “I’m not sure if they’d be there for us.”
The US president said he understands that he won’t get the Arctic territory “unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable”.
“But I won’t do that. … People thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.
“All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, where we already had it as a trustee but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago.”
In this context, he argued that both the United States and European countries have historically acquired territories, and said there was nothing wrong with purchasing the autonomous Danish territory.
He said it was a fundamental matter of national security for the United States.
He noted that for centuries, it has been the US policy to prevent external threats from entering the Western Hemisphere, “and we have done so very successfully.”
He said the US has never been stronger than it is today. “The United States is back, bigger, stronger, better than ever before and I’ll see you around.” EFE
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