COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called business leaders to a meeting on Thursday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week refused to rule out military or economic action to take control of Greenland.
Trump said it was an “absolute necessity” for the United States to take control of the vast Arctic island, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and suggested he would impose tariffs on Denmark if it resists his offer to buy it.
Frederiksen told Trump in a 45-minute phone conversation on Wednesday that it was up to Greenland to decide its future and that Denmark is willing to do more to strengthen security in the Arctic.
She also emphasized that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the United States and that the EU and the U.S. have a common interest in increased trade.
The CEO of Danish obesity and diabetes drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, will participate in the meeting, the company said on Thursday.
In the first nine months of 2024, Novo’s U.S. sales totalled 115 billion Danish crowns ($15.86 billion), of which obesity drug Wegovy accounted for 31.1 billion.
Alexander Lacik, CEO of jewellery maker Pandora and Niels Christiansen, the CEO of toymaker Lego will also participate, the two companies said, respectively. Carlsberg said that its CEO, Jacob Aarup-Andersen, would also join.
Shipping group Maersk said its executives would not participate as they were travelling.
Denmark is also home to other global companies such as wind turbine maker Vestas and Orsted, the world’s biggest offshore wind farm developer.
“It’s important that we have a good and constructive dialogue with the Danish business community. In a time of geopolitical tensions, we must seek dialogue and cooperation,” Minister for Trade and Industry Morten Bodskov said in a statement.
The ministry declined to give any detail on the time for the meeting or who was invited.
Following Frederiksen’s conversation with Trump, foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also called members of the foreign policy committee to a meeting on Thursday.
($1 = 7.2515 Danish crowns)
(Reporting by Isabelle Yr Carlsson, Louise Breusch Rasmussen and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
