"This is not what is done between allies": in Greenland, Macron denounces Trump's expansionist aims

Having barely landed in Greenland this Sunday, June 15, Emmanuel Macron expressed his disagreement with Donald Trump's desire to annex this autonomous territory of Denmark : "This is not what is done between allies," stressed the French president, the first foreign head of state to set foot on this territory four times the size of France since Trump's threats . The American president, citing reasons of "international security," aims to get his hands on this island, the largest in the world, rich in rare metals, by all means, including military if necessary.

Emmanuel Macron arrived in Nuuk at around 11:20 a.m. local time (2:20 p.m. French time). "I have come [...] to express the solidarity of France and the European Union for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this territory and to meet the challenges it faces, namely economic growth, the climate emergency and education," he said, in the presence of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen , who welcomed this "concrete testimony to European unity," and the head of the Greenlandic government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The French head of state began by visiting a Danish frigate, where he reviewed the troops before meeting with Danish and Greenlandic leaders . A visit to a hydroelectric power plant funded by the European Union had to be canceled due to bad weather.

This warm welcome contrasts with that given to US Vice President JD Vance on March 28. The latter had to confine himself to the American military base at Pituffik, on the northwest coast of Greenland, in the face of the outcry caused by his visit. The population - 57,000 inhabitants -, mainly Inuit, rejects any prospect of becoming American. Denmark also insists that Greenland "is not for sale" . JD Vance had accused Denmark during his visit of having "not done a good job for the people of Greenland" , particularly in economic matters, and "not ensuring their security well" .

The Pituffik base, which lies on the shortest missile trajectory between Russia and the United States, constitutes a crucial link in American missile defense. The Arctic is also becoming a security issue in the race for rare earths and new shipping routes made possible by global warming.

Faced with pressure from all sides, Denmark has announced that it will devote two billion euros to strengthening security in the Arctic. NATO, for its part, will establish an Air Operations Command and Control Centre (CAOC) in Norway, above the Arctic Circle, as Russia seeks to consolidate its military power in the region.

A few days before the presidential visit, two French naval vessels sailed north along Greenland to familiarize themselves with operations in the Arctic.

Weather permitting, Emmanuel Macron will witness for himself the growing impact of global warming on a glacier on Mount Nunatarsuaq, about thirty kilometers from Nuuk. The ice melted 17 times faster than the historical average between May 15 and 21 in Greenland, the result of a record heatwave. France intends to "reinvest massively in knowledge of these ecosystems," the Elysée Palace emphasizes.

Unlike Denmark, Greenland is not part of the European Union but is included on the list of overseas territories associated with the EU. "This will be an opportunity to discuss the best possible architecture, the best possible position or the best possible cooperation scheme between the European Union and Greenland," the Elysée Palace added.