Interest in buying Greenland has "popped up from time to time in American politics," Tom Høyem, Denmark's former minister to Greenland, told ABC News in an interview.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen agreed at a meeting on Tuesday that allies need to focus on strengthening defences in the Arctic, a source familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Denmark this week announced a $2 billion security package for Greenland, making another large commitment to the defense of the Arctic nation as President Trump repeatedly calls to acquire the

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot discusses the possibility of deploying troops to Greenland if Denmark requests EU solidarity.

Denmark's prime minister plans stops in Berlin, Paris and Brussels on tour of European capitals as Copenhagen moves to strengthen its presence in Greenland.

Denmark to increase military spending in Arctic by $2 billion - as Trump sets his sights on Greenland - ‘We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defense in the Arctic and North Atlantic,

Amid the ongoing row over Greenland, a former Danish minister has reportedly claimed that the United Kingdom, not the United States, may hold the first right to purchase Greenland under a 1917 agreement tied to the island’s historical British ties.

The survey by pollster Verian, commissioned by the Danish paper, showed only 6% of Greenlanders are in favour of becoming part of the U.S., with 9% undecided, Berlingske said. Denmark said on Monday it would spend 14.6 billion crowns ($2.04 billion) on boosting its military presence in the Arctic.

Survey lands as Danish prime minister tours Europe to try shore up support for keeping the Arctic island out of American clutches.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen agreed at a meeting that allies need to focus on strengthening defences in the Arctic, a source familiar to the talks told Reuters. “They agreed that in this effort all allies have a role to play,” the source said after the meeting.