US interest in Greenland may be good for Nordic countries: Finnish defense minister

Finland's defense minister said Thursday that the United States' interest in Greenland could be good for Nordic countries, Finnish public broadcaster YLE reported.

Commenting after a meeting of the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO) organization in the capital, Helsinki, Antti Hakkanen said there could be positive aspects regarding US President Donald Trump's stated plans for annexing Greenland, the report said.

"Looking at the good points in the conversation about this, it seems that the United States is determined to organize the defense and security of the Arctic region," he said.

But "the support for Denmark's sovereignty in Europe is quite clear," he added.

Citing Washington's plans to purchase a significant number of icebreaker ships as an indication of its interest in the Artic region, Hakkanen said: "In that sense, we can also be pleased that the northern region is of significant interest to the US."

Greenland, a territory under Danish sovereignty since 1953, has attracted Trump's interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources.

The Financial Times reported last week that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Trump engaged in a tense 45-minute phone call on the issue, leaving officials in Copenhagen deeply concerned.

Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term in office, an idea that Denmark rejected outright. However, his return to the White House has revived fears of a more aggressive push to secure control over the island nation.