Starmer and Trump discuss US ambitions for Greenland in overnight call

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said the two heads of state spoke on the phone to discuss the US military’s seizure of a tanker off the coast of Scotland.

On Wednesday US special operations seized two vessels with links to Venezuela, including one in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland. It is understood several Scottish airports, including military bases and ones owned by the Scottish Government, were used in this operation.

This comes just days after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and said it would run the South American country until stability is restored.

These incidents have reignited Mr Trump’s ambitions to take over Greenland, which White House officials say they are now actively looking to acquire either financially or by force.

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All of these issues were discussed when the Prime Minister and US president spoke overnight.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, Mr Alexander said: “The Prime Minister spoke to Trump overnight to discuss the tanker and to discuss the situation in relation to Venezuela.

“I shed no tears for the end of the Maduro regime - it was illegitimate and ran the country into the ground and there has been a devastating economic crisis because of the economic mismanagement.”

He added the UK Government wants to see a “peaceful, democratic transition” in Venezuela.

Mr Alexander was then asked if Sir Keir and Mr Trump discussed Greenland during their phone call. Mr Alexander said: “Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark which is our close European neighbour and a Nato ally.

“We work with our allies and will continue to do so, but the future of Greenland is for Greenlanders and Danes, and no one else.

“Overnight the Prime Minister spoke to the president and raised this issue.

“The foreign secretary also spoke directly to [US Secretary of State] Marco Rubio on the commitment to international law.

“You wouldn’t expect me to get into speculation about hypothetical situations, but I give my assurances that the foreign secretary and the Prime Minister have been clear on international law, and the Prime Minister raised the issue of Greenland last night.

“I haven’t had guidance on the tone the Prime Minister adopted in the call, but the issue was covered.”

Speaking after first minister’s questions on Thursday, First Minister John Swinney told journalists he has written to both Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

He said: “I support the people of Greenland being able to determine their own constitutional future. That is a fundamental point of democratic sovereignty.

“I have written to the prime minister of Greenland and the prime minister of Denmark to set out the solidarity and support of the people of Scotland in the context of what I recognise to be very unsettling moments for Denmark and Greenland as longstanding partners of Scotland.”