ISTANBUL

Finland’s foreign minister said there are no indications that the US is preparing a military takeover of Greenland, despite what she described as “worrying” remarks from Washington about acquiring the island.

Speaking to reporters at the parliament in Helsinki on Thursday, Elina Valtonen said Denmark’s assessment of the situation should be taken seriously and stressed Finland’s full support for Denmark and Greenland’s right to self-determination.

“Denmark has assessed that the messages from the United States must be taken seriously, and we rely on Denmark’s assessment,” Valtonen said, YLE news reported.

She said Finland stands with Denmark and Greenland, and that cooperation among allies must be based on respect rather than pressure.

Valtonen said Nordic countries possess “exceptional expertise” in Arctic conditions, which they are ready to share with allies within NATO to strengthen security in the region. However, she said such cooperation “cannot be done by threatening allies.”

Nonetheless, she said, there is no evidence of a US military operation being planned.

The comments came after parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee held an extraordinary meeting to discuss developments related to Greenland and Venezuela, disruptions to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, and the security situation in Ukraine.

Valtonen also referred to what she called a “quite a news item” from the White House, following an announcement that the US plans to withdraw from 66 international organizations and agreements.

After the Jan. 3 military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump reiterated his long-standing interest in acquiring Greenland for national security purposes.