Washington DC [US], January 16 (ANI): The White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday (local time) said that President Donald Trump wants the United States to acquire Greenland for our 'best national security'.

Addressing reporters, the White House Press Secretary said, 'The President has made his priority quite clear. He wants the United States to acquire Greenland. He thinks it is in our best national security to do that,' Leavitt said.

Her remarks come after Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday rejected any prospect of the 'United States acquiring Greenland', even as they announced the formation of a high-level working group with Washington to explore ways to address American security concerns in the Arctic.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt made the remarks at a press conference at the Danish embassy in Washington following talks at the White House with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rasmussen added that Trump has expressed a desire to 'conquer' Greenland, but that he believes the meeting has managed to 'change the American position'.

'It's clear that the President has this wish of conquering over Greenland. We made it very clear that this is not in the interest of the Kingdom. The Premier made it very clear yesterday that Greenland, for the time being and for the future, will remain within the Kingdom of Denmark, and therefore, this is a common position that we want to work with our American friends and allies on, but it must be respectful cooperation, and it must respect the red lines,' Rasmussen said.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump asserted that Greenland is important for American 'national security', adding that if the United States does not step in, Russia and China could acquire the Arctic region.

Speaking at the White House during a signing ceremony, Trump said, 'We need Greenland for national security, so we are going to see what happens. We have a very good relationship with Denmark. If we don't go in, Russia and China will go in. It is not a thing that Denmark can do anything about, but we can do everything about it.'

Meanwhile, Greenland FM Motzfeldt asserted that while Greenland must strengthen cooperation with the US as an ally, this does not mean surrendering sovereignty. 'That doesn't mean we want to be owned by the United States,' she said.

She later added that it is always in Greenland's interest to find the 'right path forward' and to work towards greater mutual understanding.

Calling for a return to stable ties, Motzfeldt said, 'The US and Greenland need to return to the normalised relationship we used to have. It's in both countries' interest to find a balance and work as allies. We are allies, we are friends.' (ANI)