ONLY six per cent of Greenlanders are in favour of becoming part of the US, according to a fresh poll.
According to Danish daily newspaper Berlingske, which commissioned the survey by pollster Verian, around 85% of Greenlanders do not want to become part of the US, with 9% undecided.
It comes after Donald Trump said last month the Arctic island was vital to US security and Denmark should give up control of its semi-autonomous territory.
The US has considered purchasing Greenland from Denmark at least twice before, including in 1867 and 1946, and Trump set out his desire to try and do so again in 2019, something which was shot down by the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen.
On Tuesday, Frederiksen said the latest message from political leaders across Europe was there must be respect for the sovereignty of states.
"The clear message from friends in the Nordic countries and Europe, and also outside Europe, is that there must of course be respect for territories and the sovereignty of states," she said.
“This is crucial for the international community we have built together since the Second World War."
The US military has a permanent presence at the Pituffik Space Base in the northwest of the island – a strategic location for its ballistic missile early-warning system.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 when it was redefined as a district of Denmark.
In 1979, it became a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark – though Denmark still has control over foreign and defence policy. Since 2009, it has had the right to declare independence if Greenlanders vote for it in a referendum.
The independence movement has gained significant traction in recent years in part due to multiple revelations of misconduct by Danish authorities last century, including a forced contraception campaign in the 1960s and 1970s where Inuit women and girls were fitted with intrauterine devices to prevent pregnancy.
Speaking to The National last month, Marc Jacobsen of the Royal Danish Defence College said there is no doubt that if a referendum happened, Greenlanders would likely vote for self-determination.
“There’s been some detailed surveys showing there’s a strong movement for independence but what they don’t necessarily agree on is what independence means,” he said.
“Does that mean a continuous close relationship to Denmark? Some parties think anything but Denmark is better.”
Jacobsen added: “There is a lot more attention being paid to historic abuses, really serious human rights violations in Greenland. There are a lot more people saying ‘we’ve had enough’."
