Mette Frederiksen distances herself from espionage against an ally

Friends should not spy on each other.

This is what Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) said on Friday for the first time about the issue of possible spying on Greenland, after the American newspaper Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the USA will increase spying on Greenland.

- We already have an answer. It is rumors in an international newspaper, and as you know, our foreign minister has already had a conversation with the USA. Of course, one cannot spy on an ally, she says during a brief press conference in Oslo, where she participates in a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, JEF.

However, it is not Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) who has spoken with the Americans about the issue.

The Foreign Ministry revealed on Thursday that the American chargé d'affaires, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, had been summoned for a meeting at the Foreign Ministry, and the meeting was conducted with the Foreign Ministry's department head, Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen. A representative of the Greenland government, Naalakkersuisut, also participated.

Mette Frederiksen meets in Oslo with government leaders from the Nordic and Baltic countries as well as Holland and Britain, which are part of JEF - countries. Here they will discuss security and stability.

Government leaders from JEF countries will also discuss the protection of maritime critical infrastructure and the challenges posed by the Russian shadow fleet, which supports the Russian war economy.

As part of the meeting, the Faroe Islands and Greenland will participate virtually. This includes the Faroe Islands' speaker, Aksel V. Johannesen, and the chairman of Naalakkersuisut, that is, the Greenlandic government leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

- It is first and foremost a clear signal that all around this table will engage more in the high north and the Arctic. It is clear that including Greenland and the Faroe Islands, says Frederiksen.

USA led by President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken openly in the last few months about wanting to take over Greenland, which is part of the kingdom.

Trump wants Greenland among other things for international security, he says, and Trump does not think that Denmark has done enough in relation to Greenland.

Frederiksen adds that Denmark is in a "strange position."

- We are very happy with the broad support we are experiencing in Europe. Especially in the north, where we gather today, says Frederiksen.

/ritzau/

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