Greenlandic authorities tell residents to be prepared in case of crisis

By AP

Greenland’s government on Wednesday told its citizens to be prepared as it published a handbook on what to do in case of a crisis.

Greenlandic ministers held a press conference in Nuuk to discuss the publication of the handbook – which does not reference any threat from the United States.

The guide – in Greenlandic and Danish – tells Greenlanders to ensure they have sufficient supplies at home to be able to survive for five days. The guide is similar to one published by Nordic nations Finland, Norway and Sweden and recommends people have three litters of water per person per day, canned food and fuel as well as hunting and medical supplies.

US President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland and impose tariffs on its backers has undermined trust in the United States among allies in Europe and Canada.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum later on Wednesday, Trump might have eased some concerns when he made clear for the first time that he would not use force to seize Greenland, saying: “I won’t do that. Okay?”

“We just went to the grocery store and bought the supplies,” Nuuk resident Tony Jakobsen said, showing the contents of bags which included candles, snacks and toilet roll. “Maybe just in case if something happens that we are ready to… just be prepared to survive.”

Speaking in Davos, Trump described Greenland as a strategic “piece of ice” which is largely uninhabited.

It’s “insulting” that Trump “talks about the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic nation as just an ice cube,” Nuuk resident Johnny Hedemann said.

Hedemann spoke as he was on the way to the shops to buy a camping stove and mashed potatoes which “you can just add water to.”

A few years ago, he said, Nuuk had no power for several days and that was “a taster” of what could happen. “Living in this nature, you have to be prepared for almost anything. And now there’s another threat — and that’s Trump,” he added.