GENEVA

Greenland is not in a situation where an overnight takeover could occur, Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Monday, rejecting comparisons with Venezuela and calling for direct communication rather than exchanges through the media.

“Our country is not the right one to compare with Venezuela. We have a country that is democratic. It has been so for many, many years,” Nielsen said at a press briefing.

Addressing concerns following recent US statements, Nielsen stressed there was no need to panic.

“The situation is not such that the United States can take over Greenland. That is not the situation. We should therefore not panic. We should restore the good cooperation we have had,” he said.

Nielsen said Greenland was in a special situation and acknowledged public concern. “I can fully understand that the population looks to Naalakkersuisut and is worried,” he said, referring to the territory's government.

He also rejected speculation about military scenarios by saying: “First of all, I would like to say that I do not think it is appropriate to talk about possible or potential military operations in this country."

“I would like to repeat that we are not in a situation where we think that there could be a takeover of the country overnight,” he added.

The premier said the government would sharpen its tone if discussions continued in their current form as "we are not satisfied with the situation we are in."

Criticizing indirect communication, Nielsen said dialogue should not take place through the media. “Now it must be enough that communication takes place through the media and via various roundabout channels. That is not respectful,” he said.

Calling for unity, Nielsen urged cohesion within Greenland and with allied countries.

“We must show that we stand together in society. The countries we are allied with, we must also show our unity,” he said, adding that Greenland's government did “all the things that we can do.”

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to take control of Greenland, a self-governing territory within Denmark, and has not ruled out doing so with military force.

A day after the US military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolas Maduro, Trump on Sunday renewed his calls for an American takeover of Greenland for the sake of US security interests.​​​​​​

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged Trump to “stop the threats.”

Several European countries, as well as the EU, voiced strong support for Denmark and Greenland on Monday, rejecting any suggestion that the island’s future could be decided by outside powers and stressing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.