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Trump says US needs Greenland 'for defense'

The US President emphasized that the island is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships"

US President Donald Trump AP Photo/Evan Vucci

US President Donald Trump

© AP Photo/Evan Vucci

WASHINGTON, January 4. /TASS/. The United States needs to control Danish-owned Greenland "for defense," US President Donald Trump told The Atlantic in an interview.

"But we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense," he explained.

According to Trump, the island is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships."

On December 22, the Danish Foreign Ministry summoned US Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery in connection with Trump’s appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the country’s special envoy to Greenland. According to the US leader, the governor "understands how essential Greenland is to our national security, and will strongly advance our country’s interests for the safety."

On March 13, Trump stated that the United States would annex Greenland, a self-ruling territory of Denmark. On March 4, he said he would approve of the island’s people’s decision to join the United States. The US leader has repeatedly said that Greenland should become a part of the United States. He threatened to impose high tariffs on Denmark if it did not give up the island. Even during his first term, Trump offered to buy Greenland. Denmark and Greenland rejected the idea.

Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark. In 1951, Washington and Copenhagen, in addition to their allied commitments to NATO, signed the Greenland Defense Treaty. According to it, the United States has committed to defending the island from aggression.

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