Berlin | Several European leaders pushed back Tuesday on US President Donald Trump's comments seeking an American takeover of Greenland.

The leaders issued a statement reaffirming that the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island “belongs to its people.” The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in defending Greenland's sovereignty in the wake of Trump's comments.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.