A high-profile US delegation will visit Greenland this week as President Donald Trump continues to threaten to annexe the strategic Danish territory.
Usha Vance, wife of vice-president JD Vance, will lead the delegation that includes White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and energy secretary Chris Wright. Mr Waltz and Mr Wright plan to visit the Pituffik space base, the US military base in Greenland.
The team will also watch a national dogsled race and visit historical sites.
Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House national security council, said the US team is “confident that this visit presents an opportunity to build on partnerships that respects Greenland’s self-determination and advances economic cooperation”.
“This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people and to attend a dogsled race the United States is proud to sponsor, plain and simple,” Mr Hughes added.
Mr Trump has made the US annexation of Greenland a major talking point since taking office on 20 January.
Read more: Do people in Greenland want to be part of the US?
Greenland’s strategic location and rich mineral resources would benefit the US. It also lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, and is vital for the US ballistic missile warning system.
The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced opposition to such a move.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written statement reacting to news of the visit that “this is something we take seriously”.
She said Denmark wants to cooperate with the US, but it should be cooperation based on “the fundamental rules of sovereignty”.
