U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday again asserted his view that the United States should take control of Greenland from Denmark, with his remarks drawing strong condemnation from the Danish side.
The comments came as the two-day NATO leaders' summit opened in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday, where heads of NATO member states have gathered to discuss key defense and security issues relating to the military alliance.
Trump has made repeated calls for the U.S. to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, though tensions had eased when the U.S. president ruled out the use of force during a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January.
However, as he took questions before a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday, Trump once again raised the issue.
"Because Greenland doesn't help Denmark. Denmark doesn't spend money to really help Greenland, but it's an important part for the United States," Trump told reporters.
Trump also linked the issue to the U.S. military presence in Europe, threatening to withdraw all U.S. soldiers from the continent, while saying "Europe is a very different place" than it was 20 years ago, warning that a mishandling of issues such as immigration and energy means there might not even be a Europe.
In response to Trump's latest remarks, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who is also in Türkiye to attend the NATO summit, said she expects Denmark's allies to respect its sovereignty and accept the fact that Greenland was "not for sale".
She said Denmark has no plan to discuss issues related to Greenland at the summit.
Trump repeats call for US to "control" Greenland on sidelines of NATO summit
Trump repeats call for US to "control" Greenland on sidelines of NATO summit
Displaced farming families are returning to their homeland in Gaza City, restoring fields and growing food again, though challenges like poor farming conditions and lack of supplies remain.
In parts of Gaza, farmland damaged during Israel's war on the enclave is slowly coming back to life.
Fresh vegetables are being harvested again from farmland in Gaza City's Al-Zaitoun neighborhood.
For the Al-Dahdouh family, these crops mark the return of their land to life.
The challenges have been immense. Nearly three years of war have left much of Gaza's farmland damaged or bulldozed, making the return to farming a difficult task for families trying to start again.
"When we returned after being displaced, the land was covered with piles of rubble and debris and was difficult to access. Everyone in the family worked together to rehabilitate it for farming. Thankfully, we were finally able to cultivate it again," said Wajiha Al-Dahdouh, a Palestinian farmer.
Rebuilding livelihoods and restoring a sense of normal life remains difficult after the three years of war, repeated displacement and the loss of income for many families.
"We can't afford to hire workers to help us with farming because of the high costs. We also face serious difficulties securing water for irrigation and pesticides. It has been a huge burden on us," said Iman Al-Dahdouh, another Palestinian farmer.
The Al-Dahdouh family is among around 350 farming families supported by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with Relief Housing Units and farming assistance.
Around 1,100 families are expected to benefit in total.
"For the last three years, it has been total destruction, and people have had to leave their homelands. The families have been displaced multiple times to various locations in the midland south area of the Gaza Strip. What you see here now is life returning to the neighborhood, and UNDP supports these families through providing dignified shelters and housing solutions through what we call relief housing units," said Margunn Indreboe Alshaikh, deputy special representative of UNDP Palestine.
The initiative is part of UNDP's Neighbourhood Approach, combining housing with basic services and livelihood support.
Displaced farmers arrive back in Gaza amid challenges
