Opposition Leader Says Greenland Must Speak With the US Independently
As pressure from Washington mounts, a political fault line is emerging in Greenland over who should speak for the Arctic island’s future. Opposition leader Pele Broberg has called for Greenland to bypass its sovereign authority, Denmark, and engage in direct dialogue with the United States regarding President Donald Trump’s renewed push to bring the territory under American control.
Broberg, head of the pro-independence Naleraq party, argues that Denmark’s involvement is counterproductive. “Denmark is antagonizing both Greenland and the US with their mediation,” he told Reuters, urging the current Greenlandic government to open a channel to Washington independently.
This stance highlights the complex political dynamics at play. Greenland is an autonomous territory with its own parliament and government, but foreign and defense policy ultimately reside with Copenhagen. The island’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, emphasized this legal reality, stating that direct talks with the U.S. are not permitted under the current constitutional framework. “We must respect the law,” she said.
Naleraq’s position reflects a broader ambition. The party, which doubled its seats in last year’s election, strongly advocates for a swift path to full independence. Broberg suggests a potential future arrangement akin to a “free association” with the United States—a status that would grant Greenland U.S. support and military protection in exchange for strategic rights, without formal annexation.
The debate comes ahead of a crucial meeting scheduled for next week between Danish, Greenlandic, and U.S. diplomats, aimed at reducing tensions. While all major Greenlandic parties share the goal of eventual independence, they are deeply divided on the timeline and the appropriate strategy for managing the current American overture.
The internal Greenlandic discussion is set against a backdrop of stark warnings from Washington. U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that President Trump is “willing to go as far as he has to” to defend American interests in the strategically vital region, keeping the possibility of forceful action on the table.
Broberg’s call for direct talks is therefore more than a diplomatic suggestion; it is a challenge to the existing order. It tests the limits of Greenland’s autonomy and questions whether the island’s future should be negotiated through Copenhagen or from Nuuk. As great-power interest in the Arctic intensifies, Greenland finds itself at the center of a geopolitical storm, grappling with how to assert its own voice while navigating the formidable pressures of two much larger allies.
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