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Greenland does not want to be American or Danish, it wants to be independent, according to the Arctic island’s prime minister at the end of a turbulent week after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out using force to control the region.

Múte Egede said “the status quo is not an option” as he outlined the desire of the vast, geopolitically important island with a population of 57,000 to have “its own voice” by gaining independence from Denmark and rejecting Trump’s attempts to buy Greenland.

“We don’t want to be Danes, we don’t want to be Americans, we want to be from Greenland,” he said at a news conference on Friday.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the same meeting that Greenland’s desire for independence was “legitimate and understandable,” while describing US interest in the autonomous territory as “positive.”

Frederiksen added that she wants to preserve the cohesion of the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Denmark, Greenland and the autonomous region of the Faroe Islands. “I personally believe that if we stand together, we will become stronger in the global game,” she stressed.

Trump this week refused to rule that out Using military force against a NATO ally to put Greenland under US control as Washington seeks to counter growing Russian and Chinese interest in the Arctic.

The world’s largest non-continental island is already home to a US military base and is seen as central to Arctic security as well as being the start of two new sub-Arctic shipping routes, and possesses large quantities of rare earths and other minerals.

Greenland, which has home rule on most matters except foreign and security policy provided by Denmark, has long wanted independence but has struggled to achieve enough economic growth to sever ties with Copenhagen.

Egedi, who has repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale, said the region was open to cooperation with the United States as it has long done, but insisted that its fate would be decided by Greenlanders. He said the military threat posed by Trump was “dangerous,” but Greenlanders should avoid “hysteria.”

“When I talk to the leader of another country, I have to be with the Danish ambassador,” he added. “These are the things we want to have a voice on.”

Greenlanders in their capital, Nuuk, described their feeling of shock and bewilderment at Trump’s comments and being thrust into the center of global attention in this way. Several residents told the Financial Times that they support the idea of ​​greater autonomy and even independence for Greenland, but not a US takeover.

Mr. Trump’s desire to seize Greenland is ridiculous. “You don’t just go and buy a country or a people,” said Kubik Kleist, the former prime minister of Greenland. “It makes me think of Mr. Putin.”

Frederiksen said she was seeking to meet with Trump to discuss the matter, and that the president-elect did not raise the issue of Greenland with her when they spoke after his election victory in November.

“It is positive for us to see the growing American interest in Greenland… there is a need for closer cooperation in the field of investments, business and mineral exploitation. From the Danish side, we are happy to invest more in Greenland,” the Danish Prime Minister added.

Danish politicians, including Frederiksen, reacted with anger and sarcasm when Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019. But they responded in a more nuanced way this time, insisting the island is not for sale but keen to cooperate with the US in the Arctic.

Danish ministers admitted they had not invested enough in defending Greenland, as they only had four ships, a surveillance plane and some dog patrols. They have pledged up to $2 billion in additional investments, but officials have said privately that they are relying on NATO and the US military to fully protect the island.

Chinese companies tried to invest in Greenland’s airports and in several mining projects, but the United States and Denmark refused.