By GEIR MOULSON, EMMA BURROWS and JAMES BROOKS Associated Press
Leader of Denmark and its semiautonomous territory Greenland are insisting that the island's sovereignty is nonnegotiable after U.S. President Donald Trump said he agreed to a framework on Arctic security with the head of NATO. Much about the potential deal remains unclear, though Trump said that "we're going to have total access to Greenland" and "we're going to have all the military access we want." Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief that Trump abruptly dropped his tariff threats and insistence on acquiring the island, but said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited.
By EMMA BURROWS, CLAUDIA CIOBANU and DANIEL NIEMANN Associated Press
Troops from European countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security. This comes as talks in Washington on Wednesday between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. highlighted disagreements over Greenland's future. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of French troops, with Germany sending a reconnaissance team on Thursday. Denmark is also increasing its military presence. The talks focused on U.S. intentions to take over Greenland for its mineral resources amid rising Russian and Chinese interest. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen expressed concerns over Trump's intentions. Greenlanders remain uncertain about the future.
Greenlanders have been pushed into the global spotlight in the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump said America could take over their Arctic homeland. Most say they don't want to be American. Many are worried and overwhelmed by the comments and the attention. But also hopeful. They say Trump's comments have ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark — a key issue in a parliamentary election on March 11. Greenland is coveted for its strategic location, its valuable rare earth minerals and its potential for shipping routes as the ice that covers most of the world's largest island keeps retreating due to climate change.
In the gateway to the Arctic, fat and sea ice are crucial, intertwined and dwindling. And scientists say because of that polar bears are in trouble. In Churchill, Canada, the polar bear capital of the world, scientists say there are now about half the polar bears as there were 40 years ago. Polar bears are losing sea ice that they use as a base for seal hunting, so they are going hungry longer in the summer. Even tiny plankton, the base of the food web, is going low fat. And that's bad for the region because fat is crucial for survival here.
The Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent were the smallest on record for January, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Thursday.
