French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Greenland on Sunday, delivering a strong message of European solidarity and reaffirming support for the island’s territorial integrity.
His visit comes amid renewed interest from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously expressed a desire to acquire the strategically located Arctic territory.
“Denmark and Europe are fully committed to this territory, which holds immense strategic value,” Macron said upon landing at Nuuk Airport, where he was greeted by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. “Its territorial integrity must be respected.”
Macron's visit, his first to Greenland, is part of his journey to the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, which Trump is also attending. The French president has been openly critical of Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland. “That’s not something allies do,” Macron said, referencing Trump's reported plans to take control of the island.
In a broader context, Macron emphasized Europe’s support for Greenland as it confronts challenges such as climate change, education reform, and sustainable economic development. “It means a lot to me to bring a message of friendship and solidarity from France and the European Union,” he said.
During a speech last week at the UN Ocean Conference, Macron made a pointed reference to Greenland, stressing that Arctic and deep-sea regions are “not up for grabs,” a clear rebuke to Trump's stance.
Macron’s stop in Greenland also serves to strengthen ties between the EU and the island, particularly around cooperation on economic development, green energy, and access to critical minerals. Security in the Arctic region was also on the agenda. Later on Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen, and Nielsen held discussions aboard a Danish helicopter carrier, underlining shared concerns about geopolitical tensions in the region.
Tensions have been mounting following recent remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who refused to deny during a congressional hearing that the Pentagon had plans to seize Greenland and Panama if necessary. Meanwhile, the U.S. intelligence community has reportedly been directed to investigate Greenland’s independence movement and attitudes toward American resource extraction.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen has strongly opposed U.S. overtures, stating in April, “Greenland will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.”
As Macron seeks to reinforce France’s leadership within the European Union, particularly amid ongoing global instability, his visit sends a clear signal: the EU stands firmly with Greenland against any external pressure or encroachment. Photo by Jensbn, Wikimedia commons.