The government of Denmark has welcomed a decision by the United States authorities to tone down a visit to Greenland by US Vice-President JD Vance and his wife, after weeks of tension between the two countries over President Donald Trump's comments about the island, which is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.
Greenland is the world's largest island and its location between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans makes it a place of huge strategic importance. It is currently home to a US military base, and as long ago as 2019, during his first term of office, Trump suggested the US should acquire the territory, even canceling a planned state visit to Denmark over the issue.
He has become more vocal in this opinion since his return to the White House, and earlier this month in a speech to the US Congress, said "one way or the other, we're going to get it", causing fresh tensions between Washington, Copenhagen, and the capital of Greenland, Nuuk.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Usha Vance was going to visit Greenland to attend cultural events, after which it was confirmed her husband would accompany her, but the extent of the visit has now been reduced, which authorities in Copenhagen called a sign that the US is "de-escalating".
"I think it's very positive that the Americans have canceled their visit among Greenlandic society," Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Danish public broadcaster DR. "They will only visit their own base, Pituffik, and we have nothing against that."
He also said armored vehicles that had been sent to Greenland ahead of the visit are now being returned to the US.
"There will be no visit from the US vice-president's wife and their security adviser to the Greenlandic community. It is being packed up, and that is positive," he added.
Rebecca Pincus, director of the Polar Institute at independent foreign policy unit the Wilson Center in Washington, told US political news website The Hill that Vance's visit to the base, which is home to a part of the US Space Force, was still a politically loaded gesture.
"It's certainly significant as it's a very high-level visitor, and it's one of his first international trips," she said. "I think it points to the attention that is being paid to Greenland and Greenland's strategic significance, and in particular the security dimensions of Greenland's significance to the US."
White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was originally on the list of those set to make the trip, but he has since become caught up in a row over a high-profile security leak, and it is no longer clear if he will be part of the visiting party.
