HELSINKI (Reuters) -Greenland’s government said on Friday Denmark will spend 27.4 billion Danish crowns ($4.26 billion) to boost its military presence in the Arctic, seeking to fend off criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland’s defence capabilities.
Trump says he wants to gain control of the Danish sovereign territory, arguing that Greenland is vital for the U.S. military and its ballistic missile early-warning system, as the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the island.
The Danish and Greenland governments have both ruled out yielding the huge, resource-rich island to U.S. control, although Denmark has acknowledged neglecting the territory’s military capabilities.
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Denmark will also invest in 16 additional F-35 fighter jets, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters separately on Friday.
($1 = 6.4301 Danish crowns)
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen, editing by Essi Lehto)
