Pedersen, Louise Rasmussen and Stine Jacobsen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Denmark acknowledged on Thursday it had long neglected the defence of Greenland, a vast and strategically important Arctic island, after President-elect Donald Trump said acquiring the Danish sovereign territory was vital for U.

Greenland is crucial for the U.S. military and its ballistic missile early-warning system, since the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the island.

Donald Trump has reiterated his interest in buying Greenland, threatening to levy tariffs on Denmark and not ruling out military force to acquire the island. Greenland is a self-ruling Arctic territory that is part of Denmark,