U.S. Secretary of State  Mike Pompeo and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod Address Reporters in Copenhagen, Denmark  Jul. 22, 2020/ State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Denmark today just weeks after the United States reopened its new diplomatic consulate in Nuuk Greenland as the strategic importance of the High North is attracting the attention of major powers including Russia and China.  The U.S. Department of State said it views the Kingdom of Denmark, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands,  as an important partner in shared efforts “toward a secure, stable, and prosperous Arctic free from conflict, particularly as we see increased activity in the region from Russia and the People’s Republic of China.”  While in Copenhagen, Pompeo met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod.  The Secretary welcomed the reopening of the U.S. Consulate in Greenland and the Faroe Islands’ interest in launching a strategic dialogue to strengthen economic cooperation with the United States. 

“Denmark is indeed such a strong and noble partner of the United States. Nowhere do we have a nation that will help us like Denmark.  Nowhere have we better upheld our shared values than with the Kingdom of Denmark and the great work we’ve been able to do on Greenland.  Quite simply, it’s a new day for the United States and Greenland.  Reopening the U.S. consulate in Nuuk reinvigorates an American presence that was dormant for far too long. I talked about the Chinese Communist Party’s threat to freedom everywhere, to the people of Denmark included.  We trust that Denmark will protect itself from this challenge.  I am heartened to see that Denmark and the Danish people join the American people in supporting the Hong Kong people in the face of Beijing’s repression.”

-U.S. Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo

Credit: State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/  Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod hold a joint press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 22, 2020. 

DANISH  FOREIGN MINISTER KOFOD:

“Denmark and the United States are the closest allies in NATO, but we are also close more broadly speaking.  We insist on being rule-makers, not rule-takers in the world of today.  We are keenly aware of the increased global attention and military presence in the Arctic by Russia.  We will continue to maintain and build situational awareness in the Arctic. This is exactly the kind of constructive, frank dialogue only closest allies can have.  The U.S. and Denmark are bearers of the same principal values: democracy, freedom, human rights.  They are the bedrock of our open and free societies.”

U.S. Opens New Diplomatic Outpost in Arctic GREENLAND To Counter Russia, China

Source:  .airicelandconnect.com/   New  U.S. Consulate  is located  in Nuuk ,  the capital of Greenland in the Arctic

Denmark approved the establishment of a U.S. consulate in Greenland, an autonomous part of Denmark, four months after spurning President Donald Trump’s idea of buying the island which shocked Copenhagen and caused a major diplomatic spat. The U.S. diplomatic mission in Nuuk was previously operating  from 1940 to 1953. On the back of concerns about Russia’s military buildup in the Arctic and China’s push in the region, the State Department in April announced it would also provide $12.1 million in aid to Greenland. 

Credit:  U.S. Department of State:  U.S. Ambassador to Denmark  Carla Sands

In a Apr. 20, 2020 statement,  U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands laid out the strategic importance of the Arctic:

“In 2018, Russia opened an Arctic airfield at Nagurskoye which can accommodate bombers capable of reaching Thule Air Base in Northwest Greenland with little to no warning. Furthermore, Russia is currently expanding the base’s 2,500-meter runway up to 3,500 meters, far longer than the length required for defensive fighters. These investments in new military capabilities reveal Russia’s growing ambitions that challenge the West’s shared goal of a peaceful, prosperous region. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) calls itself a “near Arctic state” even though nearly 1,500 kilometers separate the Arctic and China. The PRC is trying to insinuate itself into the region because it sees the Arctic as another place to advance its predatory economic interests and project its authoritarian values. It is attempting to gain a physical foothold in the region by building icebreakers, including working on a nuclear-powered icebreaker, deploying unmanned ice stations, and engaging in large and sophisticated data collection efforts in countries throughout the region, including the United States, Iceland, Greenland, and Canada.”

U.S. Air Force presence at Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland

THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — Thule Air Base, Greenland, hosted Armed Forces Day activities March 30-April 1, 2018, an annual tradition between the United States, Denmark, Greenland and Canada. The weekend’s highlight is the dog sled team race where local hunters competed for fastest sled honors. This year’s winner completed a six-mile trek over the sea ice in just over 30 minutes. “It was a once in a lifetime event,” said Master Sgt. Herman Brown, 821st Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The U.S. Air Force presence at Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland provides significant strategic value for the U.S. and NATO allies and plays a critical role in its early warning radar system, according to the State Department.  Thule is also an “important community resource”, which hosts the Technical University of Denmark’s Thule Research Station, provides a weather alternate airport to Air Greenland civilian flights, and delivers urgent medical care to remote communities.

Credit: britannica.com / Greenland, the world’s largest island, lying in the North Atlantic Ocean. Greenland is noted for its vast tundra and immense glaciers.

United States and Denmark Trade totaled $14.2 billion in 2019

Two-way trade in goods between the United States and Denmark totaled $14.2 billion in 2019, while bilateral services trade totaled $8.6 billion in 2017, according to the State Department.   Fuel, machinery, and pharmaceuticals are among the major U.S. exports to Denmark, while Denmark exports industrial machinery, chemical products, furniture, pharmaceuticals, canned ham and pork, windmills, and toys to the United States.