A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers will travel to Denmark later this week in a bid to underscore long-standing ties between Washington and Copenhagen as President Donald Trump continues to threaten seizing Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of the NATO ally.

The delegation, led by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and including Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, will visit Copenhagen on Friday and Saturday. Members are scheduled to meet senior Danish and Greenlandic officials as well as business leaders.

Coons told the Associated Press the visit aims to reassure Denmark that Congress values the alliance and does not seek to interfere in discussions over Greenland’s status. He stressed that Denmark has been a close U.S. ally for decades, including its support after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and said recent tensions stem largely from Trump’s statements.

Relations have become strained as Trump argues the United States must take control of Greenland to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence in the Arctic. He has said he would prefer to strike a deal but has not ruled out the use of force. Danish and Greenlandic representatives are expected in Washington this week for talks with U.S. officials.

China weighed in on Monday, warning the United States not to use other countries as a pretext to pursue its own interests in Greenland and saying Beijing’s Arctic activities comply with international law.

Greenland and Denmark have firmly rejected Trump’s remarks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a U.S. takeover would effectively end NATO, while Greenland’s leaders reiterated that the island’s future must be decided by its people and within the framework of international law and the alliance.