Danish PM says ‘you cannot spy against an ally’ after reports on US activities

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said “you cannot spy against an ally” after reports that the United States has stepped up intelligence gathering on Greenland.

The semi-autonomous Danish territory is coveted by US President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Denmark summoned the top American diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report which said several high-ranking officials under the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and sentiment about American resource extraction there.

Speaking with the Associated Press, Ms Frederiksen referred to the report as “rumours” in an international newspaper.

“Cooperation about defence and deterrence and security in the northern part of Europe is getting more and more important,” Mr Frederiksen added. “Of course, you cannot spy against an ally.”

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, in comments to Greenland newspaper Sermitsiaq, said the reports of espionage are unacceptable and disrespectful.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said there is “no question” that the pressure Denmark and Greenland are under “doesn’t feel right”.

He spoke after a security meeting in Norway where the issue of Greenland was discussed between Nordic and Baltic leaders and the UK, with representatives from Greenland and the Faroe Islands dialling in via video link.

In response to questions about the Journal’s report, Ms Gabbard’s office released a statement noting that she had made three “criminal” referrals to the US justice department over intelligence community leaks.

“The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicising and leaking classified information,” Ms Gabbard wrote.

“They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy. Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister said last month that US statements about the mineral-rich Arctic island have been disrespectful and it “will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone”.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Friday said those who believe there is “another kind of legal regime in the Arctic” should be told that “this is not the case.”

Speaking ahead of the Joint Expeditionary Force leaders’ meeting in Oslo, Mr Gahr Store said there seemed to be suggestions that “in the Arctic, there is some kind of terra nullius, law doesn’t apply.”

“It applies, sovereignty applies. And Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said ahead of the meeting with the leaders of the UK, Nordic and Baltic nations.