The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers will meet with US Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday following weeks of threats by President Donald Trump to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.

Trump has said the strategically located and mineral-rich island is vital to US security and the United States must own it to prevent anyone else occupying it.

Greenland and Denmark say the island is not for sale, threats of force are reckless and security concerns should be resolved among allies. Prominent EU countries have backed Denmark.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenland counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt were expected to show a united front in the meeting with Vance and other US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"We choose the Greenland we know today – as part of the Kingdom of Denmark," Motzfeldt said in a statement released by the Danish ambassador to the US on Tuesday.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also reiterated Greenland's commitment to Denmark, rejecting the prospect of becoming a US territory.

"We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the US and Denmark here and now, then we choose Denmark," Nielsen told reporters in Copenhagen, standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. "We stand united in the Kingdom of Denmark."

Trump, when asked by reporters late on Tuesday, dismissed Nielsen's statement that Greenland prefers to remain part of Denmark.

"That's their problem. I disagree with them. I don't know who he is. Don't know anything about him, but that's going to be a big problem for him," Trump said.

Hardest part may lie ahead 

White House officials have been discussing various plans to bring Greenland under US control, including potential use of the US military and lump-sum payments to Greenlanders to convince them.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said the hardest part in the dispute over Greenland's future may lie ahead.

Denmark and Greenland had originally sought a meeting with Rubio, hoping to have a discussion among top diplomats on resolving the crisis between the two NATO allies.

But Denmark's Rasmussen said Vance had also wanted to participate and that the vice president would host the meeting himself, at the White House.

Rasmussen and Motzfeldt had requested the upcoming meeting in Washington in response to Trump's continuing remarks over Greenland. Rasmussen emphasized the importance of addressing disputes diplomatically. "Our aim is to move the discussion into a meeting room where we can look each other in the eye," he said.

Denmark, which has managed Greenland for centuries, faces growing pressure to bolster Arctic defenses to counter geopolitical tensions. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen plans to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels next week, with multinational NATO exercises in Greenland scheduled by 2026.

Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen acknowledged the challenges presented by the heightened US interest. "It is hard to stand up to the US, our most important ally," she said on Tuesday. "But the hardest part may still be ahead of us."

Independence or autonomy?

Greenland's political landscape appears to be shifting, with leaders and residents focusing on long-term independence rather than immediate autonomy.

"In the current circumstances, I think it would be wise for Greenland to commit to Denmark for a very, very long time and remain under the NATO security umbrella," said Finn Meinel, a Nuuk-based lawyer.

Some Greenlanders are worried about potential US intervention. Charlotte Heilmann, a pensioner in Nuuk, shared her reservations: "I can't imagine living as an American. We are part of Denmark, and NATO, so I don't understand why he keeps saying he wants to take our country."

Casper Frank Moller, a tour operator, noted how US threats have brought Greenlanders closer together. "Last year, some people were still focused on fast independence. But after what has happened, there's more unity among us because we have to stand against this possible annexation. Hopefully, tomorrow's meeting will lead to a diplomatic solution."

Greenland has been moving towards greater self-governance since 1979. However, cabinet minister Naaja Nathanielsen, responsible for business, energy, and minerals, acknowledged there is no immediate rush.

"For others, this might be a piece of land, but for us, it's home," she said. Nathanielsen added that Greenlanders are content being part of Denmark and see themselves as allies of the US, not as Americans.