Greenland, Denmark and the USA are in a good place in current talks, says the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is asked in a hearing in the House of Representatives on Wednesday if he is aware that Greenland is part of Denmark.
– For now, he replies.
In the hearing, he also says that the ongoing negotiations between the USA and Greenland and Denmark are “in a good place”.
It is congresswoman Sarah McBride who asks Rubio questions about Greenland.
McBride, a Democrat who represents Delaware, asks if the US “needs to own land within NATO to defend it?”
To that Rubio replies:
– We are actually involved in talks with Greenland and Denmark about the use of Greenland for collective defense for all of us.
– It is a crucial part of missile defense, but we are involved in those talks right now. I think we’re in a good place with that right now.
In January, McBride was part of an American delegation of politicians who visited Denmark to show their support for Denmark and Greenland.
The Democrat questions Rubio about previous statements by the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Rubio says he agrees with Trump that it’s easier to defend a place when you own it.
– The president’s position is that it is much easier to defend it when you have control and complete control over it.
– Of course we have talks with both Greenland and Denmark. They are ongoing and on a monthly basis now. I think we will get some pretty good news about that at some point, says the US Secretary of State.
Meanwhile, McBride accuses the US government of undermining NATO’s Article 5 by linking ownership of a site to the issue of defence.
Article 5 of the defense alliance implies that an attack on one Nato member must be considered an attack on all allies.
