Kathmandu. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he plans to meet Danish officials next week to discuss U.S. interests in Greenland.

The meeting comes as President Donald Trump’s administration reiterates its desire to take control of the strategic Arctic island of Greenland.

After taking control of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump has re-argued that the world’s largest island is necessary for America’s security, citing growing threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s foreign affairs chief Vivian Motzfeldt requested a meeting with Rubio. Previous efforts have not been successful, according to Greenland’s government website.

Rubio told US lawmakers that the administration’s priority is not to use military force but to eventually buy Greenland. During a classified briefing on the Capitol Hill, he said Trump had considered annexing Greenland since his first term and was not the first US president to consider it.

This issue has caused deep concern in Europe. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reaffirming that Greenland belongs to its people. Prime Minister Frederiksen warned that the US takeover could signal the end of NATO.

European security analysts say the Trump administration’s harsh language and pressure have added to the unease among NATO allies. Rubio declined to give a direct answer when asked whether he would seek military options on Greenland, saying diplomacy was the “first option”.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt said that while military use is an option, diplomacy has always been a priority for the president. While some Republican senators acknowledge Greenland’s strategic importance, they oppose the “forced acquisition”.

Danish defense experts say a US takeover risks undermining Washington’s security and undermining the rules-based international order. Denmark’s parliament has already passed a bill to expand US military access, but has warned that Greenland could end the deal if it tries to annex.