ReutersThe Danish government has announced a huge increase in Greenland's defense spending, hours after US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his desire to buy the Arctic territory.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the package was a “double-digit billion sum” in kroner, or at least $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion).
He described the timing of the announcement as “ironic.” On Monday, Trump said ownership and control of the huge island was an “absolute necessity” for the US.
Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is home to a major US space facility and is strategically important to the US as it lies on its shortest route to Europe. It has large reserves of minerals and oil.
Poulsen said the package would allow for the purchase of two new inspection vessels, two new long-range drones and two additional dog sled teams.
It will also include funding to increase staff at the Arctic Command in the capital Nuuk and upgrade one of Greenland's three main civilian airports to service F-35 supersonic fighter jets.
“We have not invested enough in the Arctic for many years, now we are planning a stronger presence,” he said.
The defense minister did not give an exact amount for the package, but Danish media estimated it would be around 12-15 billion kroner.
The announcement came a day after Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social: “For the purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America considers ownership and control of Greenland to be an absolute necessity.”
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede responded to Trump's commentssaying “we don't sell ourselves”.
But he added that Greenlanders should continue to be open to cooperation and trade, especially with their neighbours.
Analysts say the plan has been discussed for a long time and should not be seen as a direct response to Trump's comments.
So far, Denmark has been very slow to expand its military capacity in Greenland, they say, but if the country is unable to defend the waters around the territory against encroachment by China and Russia, then US demands for greater control are likely to grow.
Army Maj. Steen Kjaergaard of the Danish Defense Academy suggested that Trump's intention may have been to pressure Denmark into a similar move.
“It is likely to be prompted by Trump's renewed focus on the need for air and sea control around Greenland and domestic developments in Greenland, where some are expressing a willingness to look to the US – a new international airport has just been opened in Nuuk,” he told the BBC .
“I think Trump is smart … he's getting Denmark to prioritize its military capabilities in the Arctic by raising that voice without having to take on a very un-American welfare system,” he said, referring to Greenland's heavy reliance on subsidies from Copenhagen.
Trump's initial proposal in 2019 The U.S. acquisition of Greenland, the world's largest island, drew similarly sharp rebuke from leaders there.
At the time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the idea as “absurd”, leading Trump to cancel a state visit to the country.
He is not the first American president to propose buying Greenland. The idea was first discussed in 1860. under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.