'Traumatised' Greenlanders being offered 'psychological first aid' amid threat of US takeover
'Traumatised' Greenlanders are being offered 'psychological first aid' amid the ongoing takeover threat posed by the US under Donald Trump.
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Speaking with Shelagh Fogarty, Danish journalist Lone Theils told LBC that the people of Greenland "are more or less traumatised" amid ongoing tensions and are being offered counselling to deal with the uncertainty.
"People have been so scared - and probably are still," she told Shelagh, explaining that fear continues to radiate beyond Greenland and across into the Danish population.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump undertook a major U-turn, announcing in front of European leaders in Davos that he was not planning to take Greenland by force.
It comes despite his initial assertions that the US would take ownership of the country for national security purposes.
Describing the way in which Greenland has been "bullied senselessly" in recent weeks, Ms Theils said the nation is now proceeding with "cautious optimism" following Donald Trump's U-turn.
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"It’s a little bit like if you’re in an abusive relationship and you’ve just been beaten," she said of the US' actions.
"This is the morning after, he or her are apologising, saying it will never happen again, and you’re kind of smiling because there may not be any room at the crisis centre but you’ve got a suitcase packed just incase."
The comments come as the Danish government insisted that Mark Rutte cannot negotiate on behalf of Denmark or Greenland over the future of the Arctic nation.
That comes despite Trump suggesting that a deal had apparently been struck in Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum.
"The danger’s blown over for now," Ms Theils continued.
"I don’t think there’s anyone with the illiusion that this is over for Denmark or Greenland. We don’t know what he’s going to do tomorrow or in half an hour, or in three weeks time.
"So, there’s a lot of worry, because the way he’s portrayed the deal that’s been made. And let me say state this, Denmark or Greenland were not in Davos, we weren’t there.
"The deal that he portrays is not a deal that the Danish government can recognise."
She want on to highlight the dismay felt by the Danish people, given the levels of support historically shown towards the US - a nation traditionally seen as an ally.
"We sent 18k soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight side-by-side by the US and we lost 43 men. They came back in coffins," she told Shelagh.
"And that is actually per-capita the biggest loss of any other nation."
It comes as Danish representatives arrived in London to meet with the Foreign Secretary in a show of unity in the wake of Trump's demands.