ISTANBUL

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Monday that Greenland’s future should be decided by its own people, amid US President Donald Trump’s threats to take over the Arctic territory.

Peters made the remarks during a phone conversation with the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, according to a New Zealand Foreign Ministry statement on US social media platform X.

“The minister, reflecting on his conversations during his visit to the Nordic region late last year, reiterated New Zealand’s view that the status of Greenland is a matter for the people of Greenland,” the statement said.

The two also discussed issues of Gaza as well as Ukraine, the statement added.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has long attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as concerns about Russian and Chinese activity.

Trump said Saturday that Washington will impose 10% tariffs on goods from eight European nations, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, from Feb. 1, rising to 25% in June, for their opposition to a US takeover of Greenland.

Following the announcement, the eight European countries issued a joint statement on Sunday, denouncing the US threat and reaffirming their commitment to Arctic security.