Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

After meeting with President Trump's team at the White House today, Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers wanted to stress the talk was polite and constructive.

But, beyond the diplomatic niceties it was clear they have not convinced the administration to drop its demand to annex Greenland to the US.

The ministers said there remained a fundamental disagreement in the meeting, adding that their red line was Greenland’s territorial integrity.

The BBC asked Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen about a comment from Trump in which he derided Danish moves to beef up Greenland's defence as amounting to adding another dog sleigh.

Rasmussen responded that he did share some of Trump's concerns about a new security situation in the Arctic, but that it was the US that had drawn down forces in Greenland since the Cold War.

We're ending our live coverage now, but you can read more about the US-Greenland talks here.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Vivian Motzfeldt represented her people in Washington. And back home, Greenlanders gathered to watch the news conference.

Motzfeldt knew people all over the territory would be watching keenly so she began her introductory remarks with a direct message addressed to people back home in the Greenlandic language.

Here are some images of Greenlanders gathered at a restaurant in the capital Nuuk, where they watched for any major updates.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Trump is asked another question on Greenland by a reporter: "Are you willing to leave the Nato alliance in order to get what you want?"

"Certainly I'm not going to give up options but Greenland is very important for the national security including of Denmark," he says.

"And the problem is there's not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland but there's everything we can do. We found that out last week with Venezuela."

"I can't rely on Denmark being able to fend themselves off," he adds.

The White House event has now wrapped up, and we do not expect another appearance from Trump today.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump was just asked if he plans to respect the limits of Greenland's leadership in his pursuit of acquiring the territory.

Trump didn't directly answer that question, saying, "we're going to see what happens with Greenland".

He still needs to be briefed on the meeting that happened today between US officials and Danish and Greenlandic leaders, he said, but he reiterated that the US needs Greenland for national security purposes.

The president also briefly mentioned his plans to build the "Golden Dome" - an idea for a missile defence system that Trump first brought up in May 2025.

Trump previously said that the system, aimed at countering "next-generation" aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles, will be operational by the end of his time in office.

Jessica Parker
BBC News Berlin correspondent

Things change fast, apparently.

Just last week, the German Defence Ministry told me: "There are currently no discussions or planning to deploy German troops to Greenland.”

Fast forward to tonight and a reconnaissance mission is on the verge of flying off to the capital, Nuuk. A government official I spoke to this evening conceded things had moved on rather quickly.

Now yes - the numbers are small. The team will comprise of 13 Bundeswehr personnel. And they’ll only be there for two days.

But there appears to be a longer-term aim of exploring, “possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region.”

US President Donald Trump is currently in the Oval Office, participating in a signing ceremony for an unrelated bill.

This is the last event on the president's calendar today.

We're watching and are prepared to bring you any lines on Greenland, which may come up when the event opens up to press questions.

Jessica Murphy
BBC News, Toronto

Like Denmark and the US, Canada is an Arctic nation, with its expansive northern lands between Alaska and Greenland.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has joined European nations in backing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark, and he met just last week with Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen.

“The future of Greenland and Denmark are decided solely by the people of Denmark," he said at the time, as he stood with Frederiksen.

Canada also has plans to open a consulate in Greenland. They were first announced in 2024, but its formal unveiling, expected in early February, has taken on a new significance following ramped up US rhetoric around the territory.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon - who is Inuk and has long worked on Arctic and indigenous issues - are expected to be in Nuuk for the opening.

Germany will send 13 troops to Greenland on a reconnaissance mission with other European nations, the German government and defence ministry said.

The mission, which comes at Denmark's request, will take place from Thursday to Saturday.

It aims to explore possible military contributions to bolster the security of the region, a defence ministry statement said, which could include maritime surveillance.

It follows a statement from the Danish armed forces that there will be an "expanded military presence in and around Greenland", including aircraft, vessels and soldiers from Nato allies.

Sombre mood suggests little has changed over Greenland tensionpublished at 19:46 GMT 14 January

19:46 GMT 14 January

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

The mood conveyed by the Danish and Greenland ministers just a few minutes ago was as sombre as it was serious. When a highly experienced diplomat like Lars Løkke Rasmussen says talks have been "frank and constructive" that usually means some hard truths were exchanged with the other side and little has changed.

He and Vivian Motzfeldt did their best to see the positive side after their talks at the White House, but the most they could offer was an agreement to form a working group that will meet in the coming weeks. "We agreed to disagree," said Rasmussen, who saw the meeting as a chance to take down the temperature after 13 months of tensions.

Greenland's foreign minister didn't say much, but what she said was poignant, first in Greenlandic and then in English.

For the people of Greenland, Trump's desire to own their territory is painful and she knew her audience back at home was waiting for news.

"We have history together," said Vivian Motzfeldt. "It's in all our interests to find the right path." At one point she struggled to find the right word in English. The most important thing, she said, was to find that "normalised relationship we used to have".

Rasmussen is a former Danish prime minister and one of his country's foremost statesmen. His solemn remarks suggest he and Motzfeldt have done little to sway their White House hosts.

We've just heard from Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt adnd Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen following the pair's meeting with with US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Here is what they told us:

• Rasmussen described the White House meeting as "frank but constructive", and reiterated that the United States' acquisition of Greenland is "absolutely not necessary"
• The Danish foreign minister told reporters that Trump clearly wants to "conquer" Greenland, but that the meeting has "changed the American position", in his view
• He announced the formation of a working group between the nations, which will discuss a way forward and meet in the next few weeks
• Rasmussen also outlined that Denmark is ready to step up security contributions to Greenland

• He also refuted the US's claim that Greenland is at risk of threat from China or Russia

The two ministers said that Denmark and Greenland are keen to accommodate some of President Trump's concerns, but that there are clear red lines that they are not willing to compromise on.

Rasmussen says: "It is not easy to think innovative about solutions when you wake up every morning to different threats".

He says it is in everybody's interest, regardless of position, to explore whether it is possible to address "some of the concerns, whilst at the same time respecting the integrity of the Danish kingdom's territory and the self-determination of the Greenlandic people".

With that, the news conference is finished. Stick with us as we bring you more updates and analysis from today's developments.

Greenland's foreign minister Motzfeldt says it's always in the territory's interest to find the right path and says she hopes for more mutual understanding.

Rasmussen says they look at themselves as the US's closest allies. He calls back to Danish troops' involvement in Afghanistan alongside US forces in the 2000s.

He says even though their visions for Greenland differs from the US, they have the same concerns about security.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

The US and Greenland need to return to the "normalised relationship we used to have", Motzfeldt says.

It's in both countries' interest to find a balance and work as allies, she says.

"We are allies, we are friends," she says, adding that Greenland has emphasised "so many times where we stand".

Rasmussen says it is clear the Trump has the wish of "conquering" Greenland, but that he believes the meeting has managed to "change the American position".

"We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of Greenland," he says.

Image source, Getty Images/ AFP

There is no "instant threat" from China and Russia that Denmark and Greenland "can't accommodate", says Rasmussen.

He says there is no Chinese presences currently in Greenland, and dismisses the concern that this "will be the case in 10 or 20 years from now".

The Danish foreign minister says: "Denmark is by all means on the right side of history."

Rasmussen says while the US and Denmark are not at full agreement over Greenland, it was still productive to start discussions at a high level among the three sides today in Washington.

He says the meeting at the White House with Vance and Rubio took place in a "very constructive atmosphere" and they had the opportunity to "challenge the narrative" presented to the world by Trump.

Motzfeldt says Greenland must strengthen its cooperation with the US as allies.

"That doesn't mean we want to be owned by the United States," she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Rasmussen says there is still clearly disagreement between Denmark and the US over Greenland, but says Denmark is looking whether there are opportunities to accommodate Trump, while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark.

"That is the work we will start, whether that is doable I do not know," he adds.

Image source, Getty Images/ AFP

Rasmussen reiterates that the prospect of the US accquiring Greenland is "absolutely not necessary".

He notes that Denmark has the "longest-lasting diplomatic relation" with the US than any other ally.

He says this is a "perfect framework which could be used" to come to a mutual agreement.

The ministers are taking questions now.

Answering a question from the BBC, Rasmussen says he has known Trump for some time in his previous capacity as Danish prime minister.

He says Denmark share to some extent Trump's concerns about security in the Arctic.