Danish PM visits Greenland, vows support in "difficult time"

OSLO - Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Friday delivered a brief statement to the media during her visit to Nuuk, capital of Greenland, stressing solidarity and a shared political future within the Danish realm.

"I am first and foremost in Greenland today to show our strong Danish support for the Greenlandic people," Frederiksen said, adding that it has been "a very, very difficult time."

She underscored the importance of close cooperation with Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, describing their joint efforts as crucial preparations for the kingdom's next steps. "Now we will prepare to take the diplomatic and political path," she said.

The visit comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions surrounding Greenland's future. It followed Frederiksen's participation in an emergency European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday and a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier on Friday.

Meanwhile, Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) reported that Danish troops recently deployed to Greenland were equipped with an unusually large amount of live ammunition, including so-called "KUP ammunition," typically reserved for scenarios involving a coup or hostile invasion.

According to the report, the soldiers were ordered to be ready for immediate combat and had considered the extreme "worst-case scenario" involving a potential surprise attack by the United States. DR said there was a "broad political will across Denmark to fight back" should such an attack occur.