Denmark’s foreign minister said Denmark, Greenland and the United States have begun technical talks on Greenland, describing the first senior-level meeting in Washington as “very constructive” and saying more meetings are planned.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen made the comments in Brussels while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an EU gathering, adding that he felt more optimistic than he did a week earlier even though key issues are still not settled.
First senior-level meeting in Washington
Rasmussen said the parties held their first meeting at senior official level in Washington the day before his remarks in Brussels.
He said the tone and atmosphere were constructive, and he pointed to additional meetings that are expected to follow.
Rasmussen also indicated that the talks have helped ease tensions, describing the situation as returning “back on track” after what he called a major detour.
Trump threats and NATO strains
The trilateral talks come after President Donald Trump backed down from earlier threats to seize or take control of Greenland, an autonomous Arctic territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Rasmussen linked those threats to a sharp period of tension in the transatlantic alliance, and multiple reports described the episode as one of the deepest crises in years.
One report referred to Trump as the U.S. president, while another described him as a former U.S. president in discussing the earlier plan to take control of Greenland.
Arctic security and possible next steps
Rasmussen said Denmark shares U.S. security concerns about the Arctic and wants to address them through close cooperation.
The reports said Trump stepped back from his push for greater control after saying he had a “framework” understanding with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte aimed at increasing U.S. influence in the region, but they also noted that few concrete details appear to have been agreed.
As part of what was described as a compromise track, NATO allies are expected to strengthen activity in the Arctic, and Denmark and Greenland could potentially revisit a 1951 agreement related to U.S. troop deployments.
Envoy comments and royal visit announcement
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, described in the reports as Trump’s special envoy for Greenland, said in a New York Times opinion piece that details were being finalized and that the framework builds on U.S.-Denmark defense agreements from 1941 and 1951.
Landry said the framework would expand U.S. operational capabilities, support new bases and infrastructure, and allow deployment of advanced missile defense systems such as the “Golden Dome,” while also seeking to reduce Chinese and Russian influence.
The reports also said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced optimism about reaching a favorable outcome as negotiations begin.
Separately, the Danish royal family announced that King Frederik X will visit Greenland on February 18 to show concern for residents, and he said the family has been affected by recent events and that media reports suggest many Greenlanders have been worried.
