In a move that has shaken diplomacy between Copenhagen and Washington, Greenland's autonomous government has sought for the first time to negotiate directly with the United States, without the presence of Denmark.
This signal shows that Donald Trump's strategy to separate Nuuk (the island's capital) from three centuries of Danish control is yielding its first results.
All five political parties in the Greenlandic parliament issued a joint statement declaring: "We do not want to be American or Danish, we want to be Greenlanders."
However, Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt threw down the gauntlet to Denmark by publicly asking: "What would be wrong if we met with the US alone?"
American offer: $100,000 for every resident
The Nuuk government's move comes at a critical moment, when Washington has put the "carrot and the stick" on the table. On the one hand, offers of $100,000 compensation for each of the island's 57,000 inhabitants in exchange for annexation are being circulated, along with promises of massive investment and tourism.
On the other hand, Trump has warned that he will take Greenland "for better or worse," not ruling out military pressure.
“Divide et Impera” – The divide between Nuuk and Copenhagen
For Denmark, this is a constitutional nightmare, as Copenhagen is officially responsible for the island's foreign policy. However, the Greenlandic opposition is openly calling: "Let Greenland talk to America itself."
A trilateral meeting is expected next week where Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with counterparts from Greenland and Denmark.
The US is using the old Latin principle “Divide et Impera” (Divide and rule), exploiting the Greenlanders' desire for economic independence from Danish and EU funds to lure them into an eventual alliance (or sale) with Washington.