Canada's finance minister says U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s comments that Canada should become the 51st state are no longer a joke and are meant to undermine America’s closest ally and major trading partner.

Earlier this week, the president-elect did not rule out using military or economic force to take the Danish-controlled territory.

Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede said he is “ready” to talk with President-elect Trump, who has recently expressed ambitions for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, the world’s largest island. Egede was asked during a press conference in Copenhagen on Friday if he was in touch with the president-elect.