DANISH Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said today her country is “ready to defend every inch of Nato, including our own territory,” after US President Donald Trump renewed his demand for control of Greenland.

Speaking ahead of the Nato summit in the Turkish capital Ankara this week, Mr Trump claimed the semi-autonomous Danish territory was “very important” for the US but not for Denmark, adding: “We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.”

In response, Ms Frederiksen said: “We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people’s right for self-determination. Greenland is, of course, not for sale.”

Mr Trump’s fresh interest in Greenland makes a mockery of attempts by Nato’s European members and Canada to appease him by raising military spending targets, as the US cuts troop numbers in Europe and insists that the continent spend more on arms.

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte attempted to placate him by citing recent increases in military spending by Nato allies.

“I would argue that without you in this chair, this would not have happened,” he told Mr Trump as the two met yesterday morning. “Grab the win. It’s there.”

Ahead of the summit, Mr Rutte had already praised Mr Trump for a series of US strikes on Iran the night before, after Tehran struck three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I think what you did last night was absolutely necessary,” he said to the US president. “It was a very strong response and I’m with you on this.”

Mr Rutte answered Mr Trump’s criticisms of Nato members by highlighting numerous countries that are already investing more, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Denmark and Greece.

“The commitment is there, no doubt,” the Nato secretary-general said before chairing the summit, while noting the Trump administration’s expectation that “the Europeans and Canadians will equalise their spending with the United States.”

Last month, Mr Rutte went to Washington to hail the “Trump trillion” – a combined $1.2trn (£897 billion) that European Nato members and Canada have added to military spending since the US president first took power in 2017.

Yet Mr Trump has demanded “loyalty” and branded Nato a “paper tiger” after some allies refused to allow their bases to be used to attack Iran.