Greenland forms new government hours before US VP Vance’s visit
The new majority government will be headed by pro-business Democrats leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen
Greenland presented a new government coalition agreement on Friday, just hours before a visit by US Vice-President J.D. Vance to the Arctic island that President Donald Trump has expressed interest in acquiring.
The new majority government will be headed by Democrats leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who had urged parties to set aside disagreements and form a broad coalition to show unity amid Trump’s campaign to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
The pro-business Democrats, who favour gradual independence from Denmark, emerged as the biggest party, tripling their representation to 10 seats in a March 11 general election.
Since taking office in January, Trump has vowed to make Greenland part of the United States, saying it is vital to US security interests, an idea rejected by most Greenlanders.
Greenland’s strategic location and largely untapped mineral resources are attractive to the US It lies along the shortest air route from Europe to North America, vital for the US ballistic missile warning system, and the US already has a base there.
The US delegation is led by Vance and also includes his wife Usha, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The flight will land at the US base at Pituffik in the north of the island.
An initial plan to visit the capital Nuuk and a popular dogsled race had angered authorities in both Greenland and Denmark, prompting the US administration to change its plans.