President Donald Trump has often and repeatedly expressed his desire to see the U.S. have more control over the Arctic island of Greenland, a strategically located and resource-rich semiautonomous territory of Denmark, whether through some sort of mutual agreement, a negotiated purchase, or even outright annexation.

In a rare display of cooperation, however, the leaders of Greenland's five major political parties just issued a joint statement that decried Trump's "unacceptable" vision for the future of their island, Fox News reported.

The strong and unprecedented message from the Greenlandic leaders likely won't suffice to dissuade Trump's great interest in acquiring the territory for the economic and strategic benefit of the U.S.

Trump is still talking about acquiring Greenland

On Thursday, President Trump hosted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House and, while taking questions from reporters, was asked about his "vision for the potential annexation of Greenland" as a U.S. territory.

"Well, I think it’ll happen," Trump replied as he stressed how important Greenland is for "international security," to which Rutte agreed.

Following some discussion about the need for more "icebreaker" ships to clear shipping lanes through the Arctic and compete against China and Russia, the president said, "But we’ve been dealing with Denmark. We’ve been dealing with Greenland. And we have to do it. We really need it for national security. I think that’s why NATO might have to get involved in a way, because we really need Greenland for national security. It’s very important."

"You know, we have a couple of bases on Greenland already, and we have quite a few soldiers that -- maybe you’ll see more and more soldiers go there. I don’t know," Trump added.

Greenland's political leaders unite against Trump

In direct response to what President Trump said during his Oval Office meeting with the head of NATO, the leaders of Greenland's five main political parties issued a joint statement of defiance against the notion that their territory would become a part of the U.S., even as they acknowledged that they were technically "friends and allies."

"We -- all party leaders -- cannot accept the repeated statements about annexation and control of Greenland. As party leaders, we find this behavior unacceptable towards friends and allies in a defense alliance," they said. "We, as the leaders of all parties in [Greenland's parliament], must emphasize that Greenland continues the work for Greenland, which is already underway through diplomatic channels in accordance with international laws and regulations."

"We all stand behind this effort and strongly distance ourselves from attempts to create division," the party leaders added. "Greenland is one country, which everyone will stand behind."

Fox News noted that the joint statement was signed by Jens Frederik Nielsen of the Demokraatit party, Pele Broberg of the Naleraq, Múte B. Egede of the Inuit Ataqatigiit, Vivian Motzfeldt of the Siumut, and Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen of the Atassut.

More defiance toward the U.S.

Politico reported that Greenland just conducted elections that saw the territory's two right-leaning parties, Demokraatit and Naleraq, take control from the governing coalition of the other three left-leaning parties, yet even as those two parties are generally friendly toward the U.S., the joint statement suggests that they are not yet ready or willing to become a part of the U.S.

Germany's DW reported that outgoing Greenlandic Prime Minister Egede took a slightly more defiant stance in a separate statement posted to social media, in which he declared, "Our country will never be the USA, and we Greenlanders will never be Americans. Greenland is one country. We are united."

President Trump's remarks about acquiring Greenland were also staunchly opposed by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who told reporters, "If you look at the NATO treaty, the UN charter, or international law, Greenland is not open to annexation."