Donald Trump has again proposed annexing Greenland, after Denmark's leader urged him to stop the threats over the island.
Speaking to reporters, the US president said, we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.
Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of the semi-autonomous Danish territory becoming an annexed part of the US, citing its strategic location for defence purposes and mineral wealth.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen responded by saying that's enough now and described the notion of US control over the island as a fantasy.
He stated: No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.
Earlier, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had said the US has no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom.
Frederiksen added that Denmark and thus Greenland was a NATO member and covered by the alliance's security guarantee, and said a defence agreement granting the US access to the island was already in place.
The Danish ambassador to the US responded to a social media post by Katie Miller, wife of senior Trump aide Stephen Miller, who shared a map of Greenland colored as the American flag, with a message suggesting its impending annexation. The ambassador reminded that both countries are allies and expect respect for their territorial integrity.
The back and forth over Greenland comes in the wake of a significant military operation against Venezuela, where Trump indicated that the US would take control and benefit from the situation.
This renewal of annexation talks has ignited fears that the US may consider using force against Greenland, an idea Trump has left open.
Greenland, population 57,000, has had extensive self-government since 1979, yet its defence and foreign policy remain under Danish authority. Most Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the US and favor eventual independence from Denmark.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated only Denmark and Greenland can determine the territory's fate, emphasizing that they are the rightful decision-makers.
Separately, a representative for the European Union dismissed Trump's claim that the EU needs the US to control the territory, affirming that they were unaware of any discussions on such matters.
