French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Greenland on Sunday in a historic diplomatic move aimed at reinforcing European support for the autonomous Danish territory and deterring foreign interference particularly from the United States.
“We’re here, and we’re ready to reinvest ourselves so that there is no preying,” Macron said ahead of the trip, alluding to past U.S. interest in the resource-rich Arctic island.
This will be the first visit by a foreign head of state since former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a proposal that drew sharp rebukes from both Copenhagen and Nuuk.
A Signal of European Solidarity
Macron is traveling at the invitation of Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, according to the Élysée Palace, which described the visit as a “signal in itself.”
The French leader will emphasize European unity and back Greenland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The trip comes just months after U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited the Pituffik military base, criticizing Denmark’s handling of Arctic security an act seen as provocative by both Danish and Greenlandic officials.
Geopolitical and Environmental Stakes
At the UN Ocean Summit earlier this week, Macron made it clear: “The deep sea, Greenland and Antarctica are not for sale.” His remarks were widely interpreted as a rebuttal to U.S. strategic ambitions in the Arctic.
During his visit, Macron is expected to discuss:
Arctic security
Integration of Greenland into European developmental efforts
Climate change and the alarming rate of glacial melt
His team noted that five of the last six years have witnessed record glacier retreat, as confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Greenland 80% of which is covered in ice is experiencing severe environmental shifts that are contributing to global sea level rise. Macron will fly over a melting glacier, highlighting the urgent need for scientific reinvestment.
Scientific Legacy and Future Cooperation
France aims to “massively reinvest in the knowledge of these ecosystems,” drawing inspiration from explorer Paul-Émile Victor, who extensively studied the Arctic in the 20th century.
Other stops include:
A visit to an EU-funded hydroelectric station
A trilateral meeting aboard a Danish helicopter carrier
Continued discussions on Greenland’s future development
Following his Greenland tour, Macron will head to Canada for the G7 summit.
While polls show a majority of Greenland’s 57,000 residents support eventual independence, they overwhelmingly oppose integration into the US a stance leaders have repeatedly reinforced: “Washington will never get Greenland.”
