French president to join Danish PM in Greenland to signal "European unity"

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greenland on June 15 alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in a symbolic demonstration of European solidarity in the face of mounting pressure from the United States to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory.

According to a statement from Frederiksen’s office, the visit will include discussions on Arctic security with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Premier of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Caliber.Az reports, citing Euractiv.

The leaders are also expected to address issues related to economic development, climate change, and energy policy.

"In recent months, the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland have faced a difficult foreign policy situation. It has been uplifting to see such strong international support," Frederiksen said in the press release. "President Macron's forthcoming visit is another concrete expression of European unity."

The visit comes in the wake of repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted that the United States should annexe Greenland to secure a strategic foothold in the Arctic amid growing Russian and Chinese activity in the region. Trump has framed the move as essential to US national security and has criticised Denmark for what he calls insufficient defence investment on the island.

On 5 June, French lawmakers narrowly passed a controversial resolution (212 in favour, 198 against) supporting the possibility of military assistance to Denmark should tensions with Washington escalate over Greenland. Frederiksen, speaking on June 5, accused the US of exerting "unacceptable pressure on Greenland and Denmark," despite the two nations’ longstanding alliance.

Macron’s trip was widely expected following reports in the Greenlandic press. The newspaper Sermitsiaq had earlier reported, citing reliable sources, that the French president was planning a visit to the island this summer. In May, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt travelled to Paris, where she personally delivered an invitation to Macron.

Greenland’s geopolitical significance continues to grow due to its location spanning the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as its vast reserves of critical minerals and fossil fuels. The island already hosts a US airbase and early-warning radar facilities. Although a decades-old treaty permits the US to expand its military footprint on Greenland, the idea of formal annexation has been met with strong opposition from both Greenlanders and Danes.

In response to US pressure, Denmark has pledged to increase its defence spending in the region.

By Tamilla Hasanova