Greenland of the free

KEIR Starmer and European leaders have issued a firm hands-off warning to Donald Trump over Greenland.

- BY DAVE BURKE Political Correspondent and MIKEY SMITH Deputy Political Editor

The US president sparked diplomatic panic by stating his designs on the Danish territory, saying he is "very serious" about taking it over.

The White House was reported as saying last night that military use was "always an option".

It reportedly said: "President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region.

"The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal and, of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal."

In a statement yesterday, released before the White House comments, Mr Starmer, plus counterparts from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Poland, said: "Greenland belongs to its people.

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and only them, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland."

A former colony, Greenland is a self-governing territory with its own parliament but is part of the Realm of Denmark. Some 56,000 people live there, about a third in the capital, Nuuk.

Mr Trump's claim comes just days after the US captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a surprise raid.