BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen agreed during a meeting on Tuesday on the importance of reinforcing defenses in the Arctic, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
"They acknowledged that all allies have a part to play in this endeavor," stated the source post-meeting.
The talks took place amidst growing concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump's persistent interest since his re-election in November in potentially acquiring control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, for the United States.
Trump contends that Greenland is vital for U.S. security, insisting that Denmark should relinquish control of the strategically significant Arctic island, and has not dismissed the possibility of using military force or economic leverage to secure his objective.
In addition, Trump has been in contention with both NATO and European allies of the United States regarding defense expenditures and has signaled a forthcoming "rethinking of NATO's purpose and mission" under his administration.
Meanwhile, Denmark has announced a 14.6 billion Danish crowns ($2.0 billion) investment to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic region.
On Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, expressed that leaders in Europe and beyond are fully committed to upholding the principle of respecting international borders - a statement implicitly directed at Trump's pursuits related to Greenland.