Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced plans to summon the U.S. ambassador following reports of American espionage targeting Greenland, escalating diplomatic tensions rooted in the Arctic island’s strategic significance. The move comes after a Wall Street Journal report alleged U.S. intelligence sought to identify Greenlandic and Danish actors supporting Washington’s Arctic objectives.
"We do not spy between friends," Rasmussen emphasized, calling the allegations "very concerning" during remarks to Danish broadcaster DR. He added that the lack of a strong U.S. denial heightened unease, though the report remains unverified.
The dispute echoes strained U.S.-Denmark relations since 2019, when former U.S. President Donald Trump floated purchasing Greenland. Rasmussen dismissed the feasibility of such influence efforts but warned against threats to the Kingdom’s unity.
Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory since 1979, holds geopolitical weight due to melting Arctic ice opening new trade routes and resource access. Denmark’s intelligence agency PET recently noted an "elevated espionage threat" linked to global interest in the region.
For Asian markets and analysts, Greenland’s mineral-rich landscape—containing rare earth metals critical for tech industries—and Arctic shipping lanes underline its growing economic relevance. Researchers and diaspora communities tracking climate policy or global supply chains will find the developments a key case study in balancing sovereignty and international ambitions.
