Lula backs Denmark against US annexation of Greenland
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday (Apr. 11) expressed his support and solidarity with Denmark on the annexation of Greenland by the US. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to annex the autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic to the US.
The Brazilian leader received a phone call on Friday (Apr. 11) from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, with whom he discussed the current geopolitical landscape and other issues of interest to both nations.
Regarding Greenland, Denmark has reaffirmed that the territory is not open to annexation, and regional leaders have denounced “foreign interference.”
In mid-March, Trump said that annexation by the US would eventually take place in order to promote international security.
The autonomous territory seeks sovereignty, but remains financially dependent on Denmark. Even though all of Greenland’s main parties are in favor of the territory’s independence, none of them supports the idea of such a link to the US.
With an area of 2 million square kilometers—80 percent of which covered in ice—the Arctic island is home to just 56 thousand people. The region is vital from a geographic point of view. The US maintains a military base in the north of the island, as part of a broad defense agreement signed in 1951 between Copenhagen and Washington.
In addition to its strategic location, Greenland is coveted for its natural resources, although oil prospecting and uranium mining are prohibited.
International politics
Another topic discussed during the phone call was the series of tariff changes initiated by President Trump.
“Both agreed on the importance of defending the principles of multilateralism, especially with regard to free trade,” a statement from President Lula’s office reads.
In the 40-minute conversation, the leaders expressed their determination to work together to finalize the Mercosur–European Union trade agreement, negotiated over 20 years ago.
In the second half of the year, Brazil will hold the presidency of the South American bloc and Denmark will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union Council.
President Lula reinforced the invitation for the Danish prime minister to visit Brazil later this year, to take part both in the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém in November and in the Brazil–European Union Summit, the date of which is yet to be set.
