The CEO of obesity drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk and heads of other Danish companies were expected to discuss preparations for a possible trade conflict with the United States over Greenland with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday.

One European diplomat told Axios that Denmark was widely seen as America’s closest ally in the European Union, and that no one could have imagined it’d be the first Trump would pick a

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called business leaders to a meeting on Thursday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week refused to rule out military or economic action to take control of Greenland.

Trump has not spoken publicly about the call, choosing instead to repost on social media the results of a 2019 poll that found that 68 percent of Greenlanders supported independence from Denmark.

When President-elect Donald Trump mused about buying Greenland from Denmark during his first administration, the Danish prime minister called the idea “absurd” and rebuffed him outright.

Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said in a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that he's ready to speak with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. MUTE EGEDE, GREENLAND PRIME MINISTER: A thing that has also come to light,

Donald Trump confirmed his interest in acquiring Greenland for the US, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said following a 45-minute phone call with the incoming US president on Wednesday.

The U.S. ally is signaling its willingness to negotiate military and economic matters related to the island but not to sell it.