Greenland’s mining minister has firmly rejected any attempt by the United States or other external powers to influence control over the island’s vast mineral wealth, saying decisions about resource development rest solely with Greenland.
Speaking in Brussels, Mineral Resources Minister Naaja Nathanielsen said that while cooperation with international partners is possible, Greenland’s sovereignty is not negotiable. She was responding to claims by US President Donald Trump that discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had included a framework covering Greenland’s mineral resources.
“Everything is on the table except our sovereignty,” Nathanielsen said, stressing that Greenland would not accept its future mineral development being decided outside the country.
Her comments followed a tense week in which Trump threatened to impose heavy tariffs on European Union countries unless Greenland, a self governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, was handed over to the United States. He later backed down, saying he had reached a framework for a future deal with NATO leadership, though details remain unclear.
Nathanielsen said that if any agreement involved allowing another country to control Greenland’s minerals, it would be unacceptable. She rejected suggestions from European officials that an oversight board could be created to supervise Greenland’s mineral sector, arguing that such a move would amount to surrendering jurisdiction over national resources.
Greenland holds significant reserves of rare earth elements that could meet up to a quarter of global demand, along with oil, gas, gold and metals critical for clean energy. Despite this potential, very little has been extracted so far.
The minister said Greenland remains open to dialogue and cooperation, including strengthening NATO capacity on the island and expanding an existing mining cooperation agreement with the United States signed in 2019. However, she emphasized that mineral development cannot be traded for sovereignty.
“We cannot begin to trade minerals for sovereignty,” she said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after meeting Greenland’s premier Jens Frederik Nielsen in Nuuk that the situation remains serious but that discussions with the United States are ongoing. Frederiksen also met with Rutte in Brussels to review the NATO secretary general’s talks with Trump. Nielsen has said he has yet to receive clear details of any proposed framework.
The debate comes as the European Union scrambles to secure reliable supply chains for raw materials essential for clean energy, technology and defense, amid growing uncertainty in global trade. Greenland is viewed as a key potential partner, and the EU signed a strategic minerals partnership with the island in 2023.
Nathanielsen noted that the United States has moved faster in building mineral supply chains through trade deals and domestic legislation, while the EU has progressed more slowly due to its complex decision making structure.
She added that although tensions have eased somewhat after Trump appeared to rule out military intervention, unease remains.
“The US is an ally, not necessarily a friend right now,” Nathanielsen said, adding that Greenland continues to carefully assess the risks while seeking to lower tensions through dialogue.
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