US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that the United States would annex Greenland, emphasising that North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) secretary general Mark Rutte could play a key role in facilitating the acquisition.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with Rutte at the White House on Thursday (local time), Trump said the US needs Greenland for "international security" and hinted at future discussions on the matter.
"Well, I think it'll happen. And I'm just thinking, I didn't give it much thought before, but I'm sitting with a man that could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security, not just security, international. We have a lot of our favourite players, you know, cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful. And we'll be talking to you," Trump said, turning to Rutte. "It's a very appropriate, really a very appropriate question."
While acknowledging China and Russia's growing presence in the Arctic, Rutte distanced NATO from any discussion regarding Trump's attempts to acquire Greenland.
"When it comes to Greenland, yes or no joining the US, I would leave that outside, for me, this discussion because I don't want to drag NATO in that," Rutte said. -- ANI
