WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (Reuters): The top U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday he would meet leaders of Denmark next week but signalled no retreat from President Donald Trump's aim to take over Greenland as alarmed allies, including France and Germany, were working on a response.

A weekend U.S. military operation that seized the leader of Venezuela rekindled concerns about U.S. intentions toward Greenland, and U.S. officials have done little to allay fears.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Trump retained the option to address his objective by military means.

Still, "as a diplomat, which is what I am now, and what we work on, we always prefer to settle it in different ways - that included in Venezuela," he said when asked if the U.S. was willing to potentially endanger the U.S.-led NATO military alliance with a forcible takeover of Greenland.

A U.S. military seizure of the mineral-rich Arctic island from Denmark, a long-time ally, would send shock waves through NATO and deepen the divide between Trump and European leaders.

It has prompted pushback in the U.S. Congress, with Democratic and Republican U.S. senators saying on Wednesday they expected the Senate would eventually vote on legislation seeking to rein in Trump's ability to attempt to seize Greenland.

Photo from the Guardian