The leaders of Denmark and Greenland insisted Monday that the United States won't take over Greenland and demanded respect for their territorial integrity after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the appointment of a special envoy to the semi-autonomous territory.

Axar.az informs, citing CBC, Trump's announcement that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry would be the envoy prompted a new flare-up of tensions over Washington's interest in the vast territory of Denmark, a NATO ally.

During an announcement Monday about new warships, Trump said the U.S. "needs" Greenland for national security and that Landry wanted to be part of that goal.

"We have to have it and he wanted to lead the charge," Trump said.

'Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders'

Denmark's foreign minister told Danish broadcasters that he would summon the U.S. ambassador to his ministry in response.

"We have said it before. Now, we say it again. National borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in a joint statement. "They are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security."

"Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland," they added in the statement emailed by Frederiksen's office. "We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity."