Sens. Lia Murkowski, R-AK, and Angus King, I-ME, co-chairs of the Senate Arctic Caucus, led a congressional delegation mission to Greenland in the second weekend in February to reinforce relations with this Arctic nation.
The trip comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex, buy or otherwise take over Greenland.
The lawmakers – including Arctic Caucus and national security committee members Sens. Gary Peters, D-MI, and Maggie Hassan, D-NH – met in Nuuk with Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, his cabinet, members of the Greenland Parliament, Inuit leaders, Danish military leaders from Joint Arctic Command, and other Arctic officials.
The Americans also traveled 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle to visit troops and meet with military leaders stationed at Pituffik Space Force Base in Northern Greenland, the United States’ northern-most military base in the world.
“Since World War II, Greenland, Denmark, and the United States have stood alongside each other as true allies amid an ever-changing global landscape,” Murkowski said. “Greenland has made it clear that it welcomes further partnership with the United States, whether through strengthening economic, military, or diplomatic ties. However, deepening that relationship will rely heavily on rebuilding trust, and recognizing Greenland’s autonomy and the sovereignty of Denmark. We must remember that genuine progress is not achieved through coercion, but rather through mutual respect.”
