The EU's two leading members were reacting to the US president-elect's plans to acquire Denmark's autonomous territory.

France and Germany on Wednesday warned Donald Trump against threatening "sovereign borders" after the US president-elect refused to rule out military action to take Greenland, an autonomous territory of European Union member Denmark.

Pituffik Space Base, located in the far north of Greenland since the end of the second world war, is home to 200 US military personnel and 450 other forces and contractors from allies, part of Washington’s missile early warning system as well as offering space surveillance and satellite command.

Fielding questions from reporters, Donald Trump refused to rule out the use of military force to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal. While he appeared to rule out the possibility when it came to Canada,

Trump has expressed renewed interest in the U.S. taking control of Greenland, going so far as to refusing to rule out military intervention.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump refused on Tuesday to rule out using military or economic action to pursue acquisition of the Panama Canal and Greenland, part of a broader expansionist agenda he has promoted since winning the Nov.