The US is giving $12.1-million in aid to Greenland but denies the help is part of a long-term scheme to buy the island from Denmark, regardless of what President Donald Trump may have said in the past.
While the money involved is small, it’s revived a furor in Denmark over reports last year that Trump was musing about purchasing Greenland. The US is seeking to counter growing assertiveness in the Arctic by Russia and China.
The $12.1-million will go toward priorities including tapping Greenland’s abundant mineral resources, promoting tourism and boosting ties with the island’s people, a senior State Department official told reporters on condition of anonymity. The US also plans to open a consulate in Nuuk, the capital, within several months.