Talks in Paris will put Europe’s support for Greenland and Denmark in the spotlight, as focus sharpens on Arctic security and development.
France will stage a prominent display of European solidarity on Wednesday, with President Emmanuel Macron welcoming Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen to Paris for talks focused on Arctic security and Greenland’s long-term development.
The Élysée Palace said the meeting would take the form of a “working lunch”, during which Macron will “reaffirm European solidarity and France’s support for Denmark, Greenland, their sovereignty and their territorial integrity”.
The talks come just days after United States President Donald Trump backed away from threats to seize Greenland, a vast, mineral-rich Arctic island that is an autonomous territory within the Danish kingdom.
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United European front
According to the French presidency, discussions will focus on security challenges in the Arctic as well as the economic and social development of Greenland – areas where France and the European Union have signalled their readiness to provide concrete support.
Paris has already positioned itself at the forefront of this diplomatic effort and is planning to open a consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, next month.
The Paris meeting caps a busy diplomatic tour for Frederiksen and Nielsen, who have spent the week rallying European allies amid heightened tensions over the island.
On Tuesday they were in Hamburg and Berlin for talks with German leaders, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz, before heading to Paris.
Their push for European backing underlines a broader effort to reinforce cooperation within the continent, at a time when traditional alliances have been tested.
Danish officials have said the meetings will address the “current foreign policy situation” and the need for a stronger, more self-reliant Europe.
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From confrontation to diplomacy
Trump had earlier this month openly threatened to take control of Greenland and to impose tariffs on European countries – including France, Germany and the United Kingdom – should they oppose him.
The rhetoric alarmed European capitals and raised questions about the stability of long-standing alliances.
Those tensions eased somewhat last week when Trump publicly ruled out taking Greenland by force, after meeting with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte.
The two men spoke of an agreed “framework”, although no details have been disclosed. Trump has since said the US had secured broad access to Greenland through cooperation with NATO. The alliance's officials have stressed the need for members to strengthen Arctic security in response to perceived threats from Russia and China.
From Copenhagen and Nuuk, the message has been firm but measured. Denmark and Greenland have said they are open to discussing a wide range of issues with Washington, from defence to economic cooperation, but insist that their red lines on sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.
(with newswires)
