Greenland’s status ‘did not come up’ in talks with Trump at Davos, says NATO chief Mark Rutte

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said that the question of whether Greenland would remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark did not arise in his discussions with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, even as the US president moderated earlier threats of tariffs and military action over the Arctic island.

“That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president,” Rutte said, according to Reuters.

He added that Trump’s focus during their Davos discussions was firmly on Arctic security, amid heightened geopolitical competition in the region.

“He (Trump) is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region – where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active – how we can protect it.”

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said Denmark, Greenland and the United States would continue negotiations to ensure that “Russia and China never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland.”

She did not provide details of the framework but described Trump’s meeting with Rutte as “very productive”, adding that discussions would “focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic allies”.

Trump drops tariff threat, claims Arctic framework

On Wednesday, Trump said he was calling off additional tariff threats he had previously issued on European nations in pursuit of American ownership of Greenland, saying instead that he had reached a framework understanding with Rutte. Writing on Truth Social, he said:

“We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region. This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations.”

However, Trump did not outline the contents of the framework and notably stopped short of stating that the United States would own Greenland, even when asked directly by reporters in Davos.

Two of those officials compared the proposal to the United Kingdom’s sovereign base areas in Cyprus, which are regarded as British territory, the New York Times reported. The officials said they did not know whether this idea formed part of the framework Trump referenced publicly.

NATO later said that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States would continue, aimed at preventing Russian or Chinese influence on the island.

Addressing heads of state, billionaires and senior policymakers, he said the United States needed Greenland for national security reasons and was the only power capable of defending it.

Calling for “immediate negotiations” to transfer ownership of the semiautonomous island, Trump criticised Europe’s dependence on Washington and warned of economic consequences if his demands were not met.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” Trump said. “But I won’t do that… I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland.”

He later reminded European leaders that he had already imposed tariffs on imports from countries across the continent and could do so again, including against Denmark.

“I’m glad he’s ruling out military force… He insists he wants Greenland, but that’s not new. Of course, we still insist that we are not handing over Greenland.”

Trump, however, rejected arrangements short of ownership, leaving little room for compromise.

“You need the ownership to defend it,” he said, adding: “Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?”