Greenland’s leader will meet with the Danish monarch amid Trump’s attempt to acquire the territory

Greenland’s Prime Minister is set to meet with the Danish monarch in Copenhagen on Wednesday, following remarks from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressing interest in acquiring the Arctic territory, which is an autonomous region of Denmark. Trump, who will assume office on January 20, indicated on Tuesday that he would not dismiss the possibility of employing military or economic measures against Denmark to facilitate Greenland‘s integration into the United States. On the same day, his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., made an unannounced visit to the resource-abundant island.

Prime Minister Mute Egede, who arrived in Copenhagen late Tuesday, had previously announced that his meeting with King Frederik of Denmark was postponed. However, on Wednesday, the Danish royal court confirmed that the meeting would proceed, without providing additional details. Greenland, home to 57,000 residents, has been under Danish sovereignty for 600 years and currently exercises significant control over its domestic governance as a semi-autonomous territory. Recent tensions have arisen in their relationship due to accusations of historical injustices faced by Greenlanders during colonial times.

Egede has firmly stated that the island is not for sale, and during his New Year address, he intensified calls for independence from Denmark. The Danish government has echoed this sentiment, asserting that the future of the territory is a matter solely for the Greenlandic people to decide. In 2019, Trump canceled a planned visit to Denmark after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected his proposal for the U.S. to purchase Greenland.