During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office on Thursday, President Donald Trump once again raised the possibility of the United States acquiring Greenland. The discussion took place as the two leaders were set to talk about the ongoing war in Ukraine.

When asked about his vision for bringing Greenland under U.S. control, Trump responded optimistically.

“Well, I think it will happen,” he said. “And I’m just thinking—I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental.” He then turned to Rutte and added, “Y’know, Mark, we need that for international security, not just for security—international. We have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coast,” Trump joked, referring to China and Russia, “and we have to be careful.”

Rutte acknowledged the strategic importance of the Arctic but avoided commenting on Greenland joining the U.S. specifically.

“It’s an issue of the high north,” Rutte said. “So the Arctic, so what you did, when it comes to Greenland, joining the U.S., I would leave that outside this discussion, because I don’t want to drag NATO in that, but when it comes to the high north and the Arctic, you are totally right. We know the Chinese are using these routes, we know that the Russia are the army, we know that we have lack of ice breakers.”

He continued, emphasizing the need for cooperation among Arctic nations: “So the fact that the seven—outside Russia—the seven Arctic countries, working together on this under U.S. leadership is very important to make sure that that region, that part of the world, stays safe. We know things are changing there, we have to be there.”

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, both during his first term and now in his second. While Denmark, which currently controls the territory, has dismissed the idea, Trump has argued that Greenland would be strategically beneficial for both the U.S. and its residents.

The discussion about Greenland comes as nationalist parties on the island have gained momentum in recent elections, with some advocating for independence from Denmark. Shortly after Trump returned to office, his son Donald Trump Jr. and commentator Charlie Kirk visited Greenland to gauge political sentiment in the region.