‘We are very concerned’: Czech Honorary Consul in Nuuk on Trump and Greenland
Maliina Abelsen is a former Finance minister of the Greenlandic government. She has now her own business, which focuses on consultancy and is also the honorary consul of the Czech Republic in Greenland. Radio Prague International spoke with Abelsen about how Greenlanders are experiencing the current pressure from Washington and what it means for the island’s future.
What is the atmosphere like right now in Nuuk? The debate around Greenland is not new, but it has become very prominent because of the recent statements coming from Donald Trump's administration. What is the mood in the capital city?
“At the moment, it feels like déjà vu from last year. Today marks exactly one year since Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland, so it feels as if the year is starting all over again. We began last year with a lot of fear and anxiety: what does this mean, are we in danger, how can we protect ourselves from the largest and most powerful nation in the world, do we have anything to stand on?”
“There is also a lot of surprise about how this situation could arise, considering that we are allies within NATO, and that the United States is openly saying it could consider using military power in Greenland to take it over. That is very disturbing.”
Is there a big debate among Greenlanders themselves? Are there people arguing strongly for or against something?
“People are mainly very disturbed. When you meet someone, they can even get tears in their eyes and ask: what is this, what does this mean for us? We are so few. It is definitely something that deeply concerns people.
“There is a very small minority - maybe around five percent - who say that this could be interesting and that Greenland should talk directly with the Americans without Denmark. But it is a very small group. We also have to remember that we are still part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and as long as that is the case, in diplomatic terms you cannot simply start negotiating with the United States as if you were a sovereign state.
“What is most worrying with this Trump administration is that the rules that have been built up over decades in international relations and diplomacy no longer seem to apply. You never know what is going to happen next, and that uncertainty is probably why people are so disturbed. Looking at Venezuela, for example, I am not convinced that Trump is not very concerned about Venezuelan society as such, but rather about access to oil and other resources. That makes the situation even more concerning.”
The new Czech foreign minister offered diplomatic help this Wednesday to ease tensions between Denmark and the United States. Do you think European countries like the Czech Republic could help?
“I think it is extremely important that Europe stands together now. It is crucial for every European country to say clearly that an attack on one European country and one NATO country is an attack on all NATO countries. Denmark should not have to stand alone with Greenland.
“There is a reason why we have the EU and a reason why we have NATO, and we must make sure that these structures and organizations function in situations like this. It is of great importance that European leaders stand behind Denmark and say clearly: if military force is used in Greenland, it is an attack on Europe.It means so much to have this support from other governments.”
You mentioned Greenland’s resources. You were Greenland’s minister of finance between 2011 and 2013. Rare earths were already a major topic then. This interest from other countries, including China, is not new…
“That is true, but there are many different factors involved in this desire to take over Greenland. There are agreements from 1941 and 1953 between the United States and Denmark granting the US access to Greenlandic territory for military purposes. Then there are, of course, the mineral resources.
“If the United States wanted access to rare earth minerals, it would be easy for them to invest in projects and build close cooperation with Greenland. What we see now, however, is that the intentions of Trump and his administration are unclear. It looks more like they want to take over the country simply to expand their territory. There are elements at play that are difficult to understand because they are irrational and do not make sense at the moment.
“That is why recall it is very important for the European, Danish and Greenlandic sides to try to understand what Trump actually wants. If he wants to take over the country outright, that is extremely serious. If it is about access to minerals - that is a different discussion.”
Compared to last year, do you personally feel the same, or has your perception changed?
“I would say I am not surprised, and my feelings have not changed. I believe we are in a “boiling frog” situation, where the temperature rises little by little. From the very beginning, I was convinced that this would not simply disappear as long as Trump is involved.
“We must take this seriously. We have reason to be concerned, but we must hope that everything can be resolved in a diplomatic and orderly manner, with full respect for the sovereignty of all countries.”
What brought you to become the Czech honorary consul in Nuuk?
“It was the result of long discussions with the previous ambassador and the current ambassador. The idea was to see whether I could be a good representative for the Czech Republic and whether we could cooperate well together. There are not many Czech citizens living in Greenland, and when there is no local contact, it can be difficult. It is much easier if there is a link to Greenland, and also a way to broaden cooperation and raise awareness and knowledge about the Czech Republic.
“It was therefore a long process before I decided that this was something I could do, especially because I am not Czech at all. At the very beginning, I said I could not do it because I am not Czech. But they replied that this was not the most important thing — what mattered was whether I could help.”
Have you ever been to Prague yourself?
“Yes, I have. For me, it was very important that before I accepted the position, I went to the Czech Republic to gain a historical background. I told them that I could do it, but first I needed to go there. So I went to learn about the history, the background, to understand the business profile of the country, what is important to the Czech Republic, how it relates to tourism, and whether there are areas where we could benefit from each other.”
You mentioned that there are not many Czechs in Greenland. Do we have any idea how manyexactly?
“I cannot tell you exactly, because they only report to me if something goes wrong or if they need my assistance. The only place where you could find numbers would be in Greenlandic statistics, where they would most likely be counted simply as Europeans. Czech citizens are only registered if they officially go to the municipality - for example if they work here and need to be entered into the system. If they are just travelling for half a year or so, they will not appear in the statistics. They are only registered if they need something from the municipality or the government, such as a work permit. There have been some Czech people working here.”
