COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called the country’s business leaders to a meeting on Thursday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week threatened military or economic action such as tariffs to take control of Greenland.
Trump said it was an “absolute necessity” for the United States to take control of the vast Arctic island, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
Frederiksen told Trump in a 45-minute phone conversation on Wednesday that it was up to Greenland to decide its future and that Denmark is willing to do more to strengthen security in the Arctic.
She also emphasized that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the United States and that the EU and the U.S. have a common interest in increased trade.
Denmark is home to companies such as drugmaker Novo Nordisk, shipping group Maersk, brewer Carlsberg, toymaker Lego, jewellery maker Pandora and wind turbine maker Vestas.
“It’s important that we have a good and constructive dialogue with the Danish business community. In a time of geopolitical tensions, we must seek dialogue and cooperation,” Minister for Trade and Industry Morten Bodskov said in a statement.
The ministry declined to give any detail on the time for the meeting or who was invited.
Following Frederiksen’s conversation with Trump, foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also called members of the foreign policy committee to a meeting on Thursday.
(Reporting by Isabelle Yr Carlsson, Louise Breusch Rasmussen and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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