PARIS/OSLO/COPENHAGEN - Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday in Paris that US President-elect Donald Trump's intention to take over Greenland "is not going to happen".

In a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said he would not rule out the possibility of military action in Greenland and the Panama Canal. This prompted swift reactions from European leaders, emphasizing the sanctity of sovereignty and international law.

"The idea expressed about Greenland is obviously not a good one. But maybe more important, it's obviously one that's not going to happen," Blinken said during a press conference with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

Speaking to France Inter radio earlier Wednesday morning, Jean-Noel Barrot noted that Greenland is a "territory of the European Union and of Europe." He also warned of the resurgence of "might makes right" policies, calling on Europe to bolster its strength.

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the inviolability of borders is a fundamental principle of international law, which applies to every country, regardless of its size or power. He said that in discussions with European partners, there was a lack of understanding regarding recent statements from the United States.

The European Commission refrained from directly addressing Trump's remarks, emphasizing the importance of respecting sovereignty. "It is clear that the sovereignty of states has to be respected," said spokesperson Anitta Hipper.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland's future rests solely in the hands of its residents. "Greenland has made it clear that it is not for sale," she said.

Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede echoed these sentiments. "Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. Our future is ours to shape," he posted on Facebook.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called for calm. "I have no perception that we are in a foreign policy crisis," he said in a press conference.

On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of Trump, visited Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, describing the trip as a private tourism visit. 

However, his father, Trump, expressed a different tone when noting the visit on his social media platform Truth Social. "Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"

Greenland's path choices

Also on Wednesday, Greenland may become independent if its residents want, but is unlikely to become a US state, Denmark's foreign minister said after Trump refused to rule out force to take control of the Arctic island.

Greenland's leader met with the Danish king in Copenhagen on Wednesday, a day after Trump's remarks thrust the fate of the mineral-rich and strategically important island, which is under Danish rule, to the top of world headlines.

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Greenland, part of NATO through the membership of Denmark, has strategic significance for the US military and for its ballistic missile early-warning system since the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the Arctic island.

The president-elect has indicated he would pursue a more combative foreign policy that disregards traditional diplomatic formalities.

Greenland, the world's biggest island, has been part of Denmark for 600 years although its 57,000 people now govern their own domestic affairs. The island's government led by Egede aims for eventual independence.

"We fully recognise that Greenland has its own ambitions. If they materialise, Greenland will become independent, though hardly with an ambition to become a federal state in the United States," Rasmussen said.

"I don't think that we're in a foreign policy crisis," he said. "We are open to a dialogue with the Americans on how we can possibly cooperate even more closely than we do to ensure that the American ambitions are fulfilled."

READ MORE: Greenland PM steps up push for independence from Denmark

Still, although Denmark itself played down the seriousness of Trump's threat to its territory, the returning president's openly stated ambition to expand US borders has jolted European allies less than two weeks before he takes office.

Jean-Noel Barrot said Europe would not let other nations attack its sovereign borders, although he did not believe the US would invade.

Scholz expressed surprise at Trump's comments about Greenland and Canada, underlining that European partners unanimously uphold the inviolability of borders.

Strained relations

Greenland's relations with Denmark have lately been strained by allegations of mistreatment of Greenlanders. Egede has said the island is not for sale, while in his New Year speech he stepped up his push for independence. Denmark says the territory's fate can be decided only by Greenlanders.

Greenland's Finance Minister Erik Jensen repeated that Greenland is not for sale. "Our wish is to become independent one day. But our ambition is not to go from being governed by one country to another."

Frederiksen said on Tuesday she could not imagine Trump's ambitions would lead to US military intervention in Greenland. Denmark's military capabilities there are limited to four inspection vessels, a Challenger surveillance plane and dog sled patrols.

Responding to Trump's threat of tariffs against Denmark, which according to analysts at Danske Bank could potentially be "quite harmful to Danish companies, Frederiksen said she did not think a trade war with the United States was a good way forward.

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Denmark is home to Novo Nordisk, Europe's most valuable company, which makes weight-loss drug Wegovy that has become hugely popular in the United States, the Nordic country's biggest trading partner.

The Danish royal palace gave no details of King Frederik's meeting with Greenland's Egede.

While many Greenlanders dream of independence from Denmark, the king remains popular on the island, having spent extended periods there, including a four-month expedition on the ice sheet. Last month, the royal court modified its coat of arms, enlarging a polar bear that symbolises Greenland.

"He's popular in Greenland. So he can clearly be helpful to the Danish-Greenlandic relationship," Damien Degeorges, a Reykjavik-based consultant specialising in Greenland, told Reuters.

Trump already raised the issue of the US taking over Greenland during his first presidency, but his latest remarks still left many Danes baffled.

"I find it extremely ridiculous," said Jeppe Finne Sorenson, a data engineer in the Danish capital. "We have an alliance, we're allies. So this doesn't really respect that."