As global attention sharpens on the Arctic, Greenland’s leaders are sending a clear message: their future remains tied to Denmark, not the United States.

In Nuuk, Greenland’s snow-covered capital, residents voiced support for staying within the Kingdom of Denmark and urged political leaders to slow down debates over full independence. The calls come just days before high-level talks in Washington, where Greenlandic and Danish officials are set to meet senior U.S. leaders amid renewed American interest in the strategically vital island.

Greenland’s Foreign Minister and Denmark’s Foreign Minister are scheduled to meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The meeting follows fresh remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has once again suggested that the United States should take control of Greenland—an autonomous Danish territory rich in minerals and critical to Arctic security.

Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, firmly rejected any notion of Greenland becoming a U.S. territory. Speaking in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday, Nielsen stressed unity within the Danish realm.

"We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the U.S. and Denmark here and now, then we choose Denmark," Nielsen told reporters in Copenhagen on Tuesday, standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. "We stand united in the Kingdom of Denmark."

While Greenland has long discussed eventual independence, the current political mood appears more cautious. Rather than pushing for immediate separation, leaders and citizens alike are emphasizing stability, security, and long-term planning in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.

As Washington’s interest in the Arctic intensifies, Greenland’s message ahead of the Vance meeting is unmistakable: partnership with Denmark remains the island’s preferred path, at least for now. Photo by Christian Ursilva from København, Danmark, Wikimedia commons.