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OSLO, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Denmark has agreed to engage in talks on the Arctic region with Washington, stated Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen after his initial phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio from President Donald Trump's administration, who is interested in controlling Greenland.

Following a 20-minute discussion held in a "good and constructive tone," they addressed topics including Ukraine, European security, and events in the Middle East, as reported by the Danish Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Trump's interest in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark and a strategic point along the shortest route from Europe to North America that is essential for the U.S. ballistic missile warning system, has been well noted.

Although Arctic security was not initially on the agenda, it was decided that this would be a topic for a future discussion among the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, as confirmed by the Danish ministry.

Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, advocating for independence, consistently emphasizes that decisions about the island's future lie with its people.

Despite Trump's previous musings about acquiring Greenland in 2019, his hesitance to dismiss the potential use of military or economic leverage has unsettled many Danes.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen conveyed to Trump during a phone call that the decision regarding any independence lies solely with Greenland.