Ursula von der Leyen visits Greenland to strengthen ties with the EU

Reshowing her support, seven months after the worst of the crisis: the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen began a visit on Sunday to Greenland, a huge Arctic island coveted by Donald Trump. The head of the European executive landed under bright sunshine in Nuuk, the capital of this autonomous Danish territory where she is preparing to spend two days.

On the agenda: a boat trip among icebergs, a series of meetings with the head of the Greenlandic government and the Danish Prime Minister, and the signing of a joint declaration between the EU and Greenland. Throughout the trip, it will convey the same message: this territory must exist with Europe rather than with the United States.

A “crucial” partnership

“What happens in the Arctic directly affects the rest of Europe, and a strong partnership with Greenland is crucial for our position in the region,” underlined European Commissioner Josef Sikela, also on the trip. Donald Trump's desires towards Greenland caused a major crisis at the start of the year.

Stunned, the Europeans suddenly saw their long-time ally, on whom they count for their security, begin to threaten them. At the height of the crisis, the American president even raised the possibility of “using force” to seize the territory of 57,000 inhabitants, sowing concern within the EU and NATO.

New envelope of 200 million euros

The tension has only subsided thanks to the establishment of a Denmark/Greenland/United States working group which is seeking a lasting way out of this situation. Seven months have since passed. But Europeans have not stopped their messages of solidarity with Greenland and Denmark, well aware that these threats could resurface at any time.

They accompany these declarations with investment promises, and the President of the European Commission could during her visit announce a new envelope of 200 million euros for Greenland. This coincides with the start of the Arctic Shield exercise which brings together soldiers from ten NATO countries, “a concomitance which is not negligible”, according to Mikaa Blugeon-Mered, researcher in geopolitics at the University of Quebec.

“Postcards from Donald Trump”

The signal is all the more important because, although American pressure became more discreet after the visit in May of Donald Trump's special envoy for Greenland, Jeff Landry, it did not disappear. “We received postcards every month from Trump or his relatives on Greenland which show that they have not forgotten,” recalls Mikaa Blugeon-Mered.

In August, media coverage of the preparations of an American oil company in an isolated region in the east of the island reignited concerns. The project, operated by a Texan company on the basis of licenses issued before a 2021 moratorium on the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons, is uneasy for local residents and the authorities, who, citing procedural reasons, have not given the green light to a first exploratory drilling.

Very economically dependent on Denmark and its fishing sector, Nuuk is currently struggling to develop the extractive industries that could contribute to its emancipation. Today, some 135 mining permits are held by more than sixty companies, but only two mines are in operation. This is where the EU wants to play a role, by putting its hand in the wallet.

Brussels hopes that these investment promises will kill two birds with one stone to build a relationship of trust with Greenland and diversify European access to critical raw materials – until now very linked to China. At the same time, it wishes to encourage the development of sustainable tourism and territorial connectivity projects.

In addition to the head of the Greenlandic government Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Mrs von der Leyen will meet the head of the Faroese government Beinir Johannesen. Denmark, Faroe Islands and Greenland are holding their biannual meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Nuuk on relations within the Kingdom of Denmark of which they are the three constituent entities.