On Monday at 10:15 am, the four senators will hold a press conference for about 25 journalists from domestic and foreign media.
Also sitting here are members of the Foreign and Security Policy Committee, Pipaluk Lynge and Erik Jensen, along with actor Viggo Mortensen, who is known for being critical of Donald Trump's statements about the annexation of Greenland.
Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Angus King of Maine, Gary Peters of Michigan and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire have held meetings with the business community, members of Inatsisartut and Naalakkersuisut during their visit to Nuuk.
Productive and unforgettable trip
Angus King, a senator from Maine, begins the press conference by saying that the senators' trip to Greenland has been very productive:
- We have had a very productive trip. We started in Pituffik and have had meetings with politicians and the ICC, and we have learned a lot. We are four senators from northern states in the United States whose interest in Greenland goes back to before the current events. We have been talking about the strategic importance of the Arctic for 10 years, he says and continues:
- The US's security interest in Greenland does not have to mean taking over the country. The kind of activities we have seen in recent months are unnecessary, emphasizes Angus King.
Senator Angus King further says that the four senators went on a helicopter tour to see the ice sheet and watch the sunset, which was a great experience.
- It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life, it says.
Agree on security policy
Chair of the Foreign and Security Policy Committee, Pipaluk Lynge, tells Sermitsiaq that the meeting went well and in good order. She emphasizes that there is goodwill on both sides to ensure security and defense in the Arctic:
- The security issue is also important to us. And we have expressed this to the senators. But it is also important to us that a possible agreement is reached that benefits the municipalities and the population, says Pipaluk Lynge.
Murkowski is introduced as "Arctic Senator"
Lisa Murkowski, who is a senator in Alaska, is introduced as "the Arctic senator".
She tells the press present that she has visited Greenland several times.
- To the citizens of Greenland: It hurts my heart to know how much anxiety and worry you feel in these times of uncertainty. In just a few sentences and words, the trust that has been built since World War II has been eroded and degraded, says Lisa Murkowski.
She emphasizes that senators have a major role in rebuilding trust between Greenland and the United States.
"I want to remind you that regardless of what our president says, we have a big role in Congress. And I believe there is a common interest that we must work together on, and it begins and ends with respect and dialogue," she says.
Senator Peters: Important to have friends and allies
Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat, points out that the United States also needs its allies.
- We need to have friends. The people of Greenland are our friends, and the people of Denmark are our friends. Unfortunately, we have a president who has broken trust. That is why the four of us are here today. This is one of many steps, says Gary Peters and continues:
- My message to the people of Greenland is: Know that you have many friends in the United States.
Speaking openly about the Republican dilemma
Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator, is one of the few Republican senators who has spoken out critically about President Donald Trump's desire to take control.
She openly calls on her party colleagues to follow her line:
"There are some members of my party who don't want to be seen as going against Donald Trump. But I can tell you that I've had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues who say, 'There's a red line here; we don't take over and invade NATO allies,'" says Lisa Murkowski.
She encourages American politicians, regardless of party, to go to Greenland to learn more about America's allies.
