Greenlanders torn between anxiety and relief after talks

NUUK

Greenland's residents expressed a mix of anxiety and relief after a meeting was held on Jan. 14 in the White House between officials from the United States, Denmark and the island at the center of President Donald Trump's focus.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, an autonomous territory under Copenhagen's sovereignty, met on Jan. 14 with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an attempt to clear up "misunderstandings" after Trump spoke repeatedly of the possibility of seizing the island.

"It's very frightening because it's such a big thing," said Vera Stidsen, 51, a teacher in Nuuk, Greenland's capital.

"I hope that in the future we can continue to live as we have until now: In peace and without being disturbed," Stidsen told AFP.

Following the meeting, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed "fundamental disagreement" with Washington over the fate of the Arctic territory while Trump said he thought "something will work out."

"We didn't manage to change the American position. It's clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland," Lokke told reporters.

"We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree."

Trump, speaking after the meeting which he did not attend, for the first time sounded conciliatory on Greenland, acknowledging Denmark's interests even if he again said he was not ruling out any options.

"I have a very good relationship with Denmark, and we'll see how it all works out. I think something will work out," Trump said without explaining further.

He again said Denmark was powerless if Russia or China wanted to occupy Greenland, but added: "There's everything we can do."

Red and white Greenlandic flags flew in shop windows, on apartment balconies, and on cars and buses, in a show of national unity during the talks.

In one shop in Nuuk, a t-shirt with the slogan "Greenland is not for sale" was almost sold out, according to an AFP reporter.

Faced with comments by Trump that the U.S. would "have" Greenland "one way or the other," authorities there were working to keep a sense of calm for the island's 57,000 residents.

Ivaana Egede Larsen, 43, watched a broadcast of the press conference given by Lokke and Greenland's foreign affairs minister Vivian Motzfeldt, in a cafe on Wednesday, tears welling up as she felt a flood of relief that the meeting appeared to have been cordial.

"I am more calm now, and I feel more safe," she said.

"Our hearts have felt very unsafe lately because of Trump's very direct, very aggressive way of talking about Greenland," she added.

Frederik Henningsen, 64, a janitor, also felt some optimism.

"They didn't manage to make an agreement but I have my hopes because I want to live in peace," he said.