New Zealand Urges Greenland’s People to Decide Its Own Fate

(MENAFN) New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated on Monday that Greenland’s destiny should be determined by its own citizens, in response to US President Donald Trump’s threats to acquire the Arctic territory.

Peters expressed his comments during a phone call with the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, according to a statement from the New Zealand Foreign Ministry shared on the social media platform X.

“The minister, reflecting on his conversations during his visit to the Nordic region late last year, reiterated New Zealand’s view that the status of Greenland is a matter for the people of Greenland,” the statement indicated.

In addition to Greenland, Peters and Kallas also touched upon the situations in Gaza and Ukraine, the statement noted.

Greenland, which is a self-governing territory under the Kingdom of Denmark, has historically attracted American interest because of its strategic location, rich mineral resources, and worries about Russian and Chinese activities in the region.

On Saturday, Trump announced that the US would impose a 10% tariff on goods from eight European countries—including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland—starting February 1, increasing to 25% in June, citing their opposition to a US acquisition of Greenland.

In response, the eight nations released a joint statement on Sunday condemning the US threat and reaffirming their dedication to Arctic security, according to reports by news agencies.

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