Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is visiting Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day trip. The purpose of her visit is to strengthen trust with Greenlandic officials, especially as the Trump administration is showing interest in taking control of the large Arctic territory.

Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, announced her visit plans after US Vice President JD Vance visited a US air base in Greenland last week and criticised Denmark for not investing enough in the region. Greenland is rich in minerals and holds strategic importance, especially as climate change makes it more accessible. Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the island is vital for U.S. security. Although Greenland is geographically part of North America, it is a semiautonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark.

Frederiksen is set to meet Greenland's newly elected leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, following last month's election that brought in a new government. She will also meet with the future Naalakkersuisut (Cabinet) during her visit, which will continue until Friday. "It has my deepest respect how the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic politicians handle the great pressure that is on Greenland," she said in a government statement announcing the visit.

Discussions with Nielsen are planned to explore cooperation between Greenland and Denmark. Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has been striving for independence from Denmark for years. The Trump administration's threats to take control of Greenland, possibly even using military force, have upset many people in both Greenland and Denmark. The new government, however, prefers a slower approach when it comes to the question of gaining independence.

Meanwhile, the Naleraq party, which supports a quick move toward independence and is the most supportive of the US president, was left out of discussions to form the new government. Peter Viggo Jakobsen, an associate professor at the Danish Defense Academy, said last week that the Trump administration's interest in Greenland might have the opposite effect. Instead of bringing Greenland closer to the U.S., it could push its moderate political groups closer to Denmark. He explained that most Greenlanders are now wary of a close relationship with the U.S. because they don’t trust Trump.