Denmark to spend billions more on Arctic security

Greenland's Minister for Independence and Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt made the announcement alongside Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen

Denmark has said it will spend 14.6 billion kroner (£1.6bn; $2.05bn) to boost security in the Arctic region, in partnership with its autonomous territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The deal includes three new Arctic ships, more long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity and stronger satellite capacity.

"We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defence in the Arctic and North Atlantic," Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.

The move comes after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to acquire Greenland, an island which has wide-ranging autonomy but remains part of Denmark.

Asked earlier in January whether he could rule out using military or economic force to pursue his desire to take over the territory, Trump said he could not.

Greenland, the world's most sparsely populated territory, is home to about 56,000 mostly indigenous Inuit people.

The US has long maintained a security interest in Greenland. After Nazi Germany occupied mainland Denmark during World War II, the US invaded Greenland, establishing military and radio stations across the territory. It has maintained a presence in the region since.

Greenland lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it strategically important for the US.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland's natural resources, including mining for rare earth minerals, uranium and iron.

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"Greenland is entering a time of changing threat landscape," Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland's Independence and Foreign Affairs Minister, said in a statement announcing the new defence spending.

"I am pleased that with this partial agreement we have taken the first step towards strengthening security in and around Greenland."

An announcement of further funding is expected to come in the first half of this year.

The new investment follows Denmark's separate announcement in December that it was spending roughly £1.2 billion on Greenland's defence, including the purchase of new ships, long-range drones and extra dog sled teams.

Poulsen then described the timing of the announcement as an "irony of fate" - coming just after Trump said ownership and control of Greenland was an "absolute necessity" for the US.

Greenland's prime minister has said the territory is not for sale, adding that "Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland".

Denmark's prime minister has told Trump that it is up to Greenland to decide its own future.

Trump has doubled down on his intent since then, despite warnings from European countries not to threaten Greenland.