Copenhagen

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Denmark announced a massive boost in defence spending for Greenland, just hours after United States President-elect Donald Trump repeated his call to purchase the Arctic territory.

Earlier this week, Danish Defence Minister Troels Poulsen said that the package would be worth at least $1.5 billion. Defence Minister Poulsen said that the package would allow for the purchase of two new inspection ships, two new long-range drones, and two extra dog sledge teams.

'Planning a strong presence in Arctic'

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Poulsen said that the government had not invested enough in the Arctic for many years and was now planning a strong presence in the region.

Also read | Eric Trump posts image of Donald Trump ‘Buying’ Canada, Greenland and Panama Canal in new social media post

Greenland is a North American island autonomous territory of Denmark. Greenland is home to a large US space facility and is strategically important for Washington, lying on the shortest route from North America to Europe.

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Trump's call to buy Greenland

On Sunday (Dec 22), Donald Trump announced that he had picked Ken Howery, a former envoy to Sweden, as his ambassador to Copenhagen, and commented on the status of Greenland.

"For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

Trump did not elaborate on his statement. 

Also read | ‘We are not for sale,’ Greenland PM rebuffs Trump’s idea of buying the island

Reacting to the US president-elect's remarks, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede said that the island was not for sale. 

"Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," Prime Minister Egede said in a statement.