Trump says US will not use force to acquire Greenland

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out the use of force in his bid to control Greenland, but said in a speech in Davos that no other country can secure the Danish territory.

“People thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force,” Trump said at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland. “I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

Trump made the comments in a closely-watched economic speech that has been overshadowed by fraying transatlantic ties and tensions with Europe over his push to acquire Greenland.

He downplayed the issue as a “small ask” over a “piece of ice” and that an acquisition would be no threat to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) alliance that includes Denmark and the United States.

“No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States,” Trump said, adding: “I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again to discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States.”

Trump, who marked the end of a turbulent first year in office on Tuesday, is set to overshadow the agenda of the WEF, where global elites chew over economic and political trends.

Nato leaders have warned that Trump’s Greenland strategy could upend the alliance, while the leaders of Denmark and Greenland have offered a wide array of ways for a greater US presence on the strategic island territory of 57,000 people.

“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it,” Trump said in his speech to a congress hall packed with business and political leaders.

In his speech, Trump also took aim at Canada, saying it “should be grateful” to Washington, a day after Prime Minister Mark Carney warned of a rupture to the US-led global system.

“I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful,” Trump said of Carney’s speech, which drew a rare standing ovation from the Davos audience.

“Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” he added.

The US president said that he would meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss ending the war with Russia, but slammed Nato and stressed Washington had “nothing to do with” the conflict.

“I’m dealing with President Putin, and he wants to make a deal, I believe. I’m dealing with President Zelensky and I think he wants to make a deal. I’m meeting him today,” Trump said, adding that Nato has “to work on Ukraine, we don’t… We have nothing to do with it”.

Zelensky has not confirmed he would travel to Davos and earlier in the week indicated he would skip the forum to stay in Kyiv and deal with widespread blackouts, heating outages and power cuts following Russian strikes.