ISTANBUL 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told US President-elect Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday that the decision on Greenland's independence belongs to the island.

Frederiksen emphasized the importance of strengthening security in the Arctic and highlighted Denmark's readiness to take on more responsibility, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Referring to remarks by Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede, who said the island was "not for sale," Frederiksen stated that "the decision on independence belongs to Greenland itself."

During the 45-minute conversation, economic relations, the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and relations with China were also discussed, and the two leaders agreed to continue the dialogue.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it is home to a US military base and holds strategic importance, as it offers the shortest route from North America to Europe.