The head of diplomacy who negotiates with the United States is leaving the Greenland government

One of the four coalition partners, the social democratic Siumut party, left the Greenland government on Friday. This means the departure of Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, who, together with the Danish authorities, is taking part in negotiations with the US on the future of the island.

– I am disappointed with the coalition partner's decision, the divisions weaken Greenland's position and strengthen foreign forces, said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen from the Democrats during a press conference in Nuuk on Friday.

Motzfeldt, who represents Siumut, said in an interview with Danish public broadcaster DR that her departure means that ongoing negotiations with the US will “basically start from scratch.” The politician, together with the head of Danish diplomacy, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, participated in a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Mark Rubio in Washington in January, after which a working group was established. In Greenland, Motzfeldt's talks were considered a success, and she was greeted at the airport by crowds of compatriots.

Motzfeldt lost the party's leadership competition in 2025, and in recent days she was also against her party leaving the government. The leader of Siumut, Aleqa Hammond, explained the move to the opposition by the behavior of her coalition partners: the Democrats and the IA party. Both parties put forward their ministers in the elections to the Danish parliament, scheduled for March 24, which, according to Siumut, is unacceptable and has a negative impact on the government's work.

Greenlanders will elect two representatives to the Danish Parliament. After the Siumut party leaves the Greenlandic government, Prime Minister Nielsen will maintain a majority in the Greenlandic parliament, with 19 out of 31 seats.

On Friday, the head of Danish diplomacy Rasmussen and the country's defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen expressed appreciation for Motzfeldt's contribution in negotiations with the US.

As previously reported by the Danish media, the talks between the US, Denmark and Greenland concern the issue of increasing NATO involvement on the island in order to deter China and Russia, as well as the renegotiation of the Danish-American agreement of 1951, allowing the US military presence in Greenland. This issue is related to the concept of the Golden Dome of US President Donald Trump, which involves the construction of an anti-missile shield. Trump has repeatedly said that the United States needs Greenland, which has led to a crisis in Danish-American relations. Greenland, which has autonomy, is a dependent territory of Denmark. (PAP)

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