Denmark sent private messages to US President-elect Donald Trump’s team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the US military presence there without claiming the island, Axios reported on Saturday, citing two sources.

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has described US control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, as an “absolute necessity”. He did not dismiss the potential use of military or economic means, including tariffs against Denmark.

Axios said that the Danish government wanted to convince Trump that his security concerns could be addressed without claiming Greenland.

A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment on the Axios report.

‘Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders’

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said earlier this week that she had asked for a meeting with Trump, but did not expect it to happen before his inauguration. Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede too said he was ready to speak with Trump but urged respect for the island’s independence aspirations.

Denmark has previously said that Greenland is not for sale.