• Asked by a reporter about the top diplomat's rejection, the US president said, 'If he wants to tell me, he can tell me that to my face'

ATHENS

Denmark on Wednesday rejected any deal and talks to transfer its sovereignty in Greenland to the US.

Speaking to local media after a meeting of the country’s Foreign Policy Committee in Copenhagen, Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Denmark welcomed US President Donald Trump’s remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, ruling out the use of military force over Greenland, public broadcaster TV2 reported.

"It is positive that it is being said that military force will not be used. But that will not make this case go away," he said.

Rasmussen noted that Trump's address in Davos showed that his ambition remains to take over Greenland.

Asked by a reporter about the top diplomat's rejection, the US president said, "If he wants to tell me, he can tell me that to my face."

Earlier, Trump said that Washington should open negotiations to acquire Greenland, arguing that only the US has the capacity to defend and develop the strategically important Arctic territory at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

However, Trump said he would not use force to acquire the autonomous territory of Denmark.

"People thought I would use force, but I don't have to use force," he said. "I don't want to use force. I won't use force."