EU pledges €200 mln to Greenland amid renewed Trump annexation push

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday announced a fresh funding boost for Greenland, seeking to strengthen Arctic ties with the self-governing Danish territory amid U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed push for American control.

Speaking alongside Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, von der Leyen said the €200 million ($232.3 million) package reflects "a clear choice" by Greenland to deepen ties with the 27-nation bloc.

"This partnership package focuses mainly on three domains, or strategic priorities. We call them the big Cs: connectivity, clean energy [and] critical raw materials," von der Leyen told reporters.

The funds, to be invested this year and in 2027, are designed to bolster ties between the EU and the Arctic. Von der Leyen described Greenland as "a strategic ally and a trusted friend."

The announcement comes shortly after Icelanders voted to reject restarting EU membership negotiations, and as Trump renews his push to acquire Greenland on national security grounds.

Greenland's Response

"The European Union continues to be, not only an important partner for Greenland, but also a loyal and trusted friend," Greenland's Nielsen said.

"Through these challenging times, your support to us is unfailing. You have stood by us and continue to stand by us. We feel it and are deeply grateful. Thank you," he added.

Denmark's Position

Asked about potential concerns over Trump's reaction to the funding package, Denmark's Frederiksen said: "We have been under pressure and it has been very clear, and we are very thankful for the great support that we have received from our European partners — but, by the way, also globally."

Frederiksen insisted that Denmark would like to work closely with the U.S. on issues such as security and defense, "but we, of course, would also like to work even closer together with our European allies and that is exactly what we are doing in the Arctic region now."

EU's Message to Trump

Von der Leyen said Greenland "stood firm and stands firm under enormous pressure," in an apparent reference to Trump's pursuit of U.S. control of the territory. "Europe is firmly united with you too. This is the basic message," she added.

Background

Trump has long advocated for U.S. control of Greenland, a vast, sparsely populated and largely frozen island. His fixation on the territory became a major trans-Atlantic issue at the start of the year.

In late January, Trump — who had refused to rule out the use of military force to annex Greenland — abruptly announced that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had formed a "framework of a future deal" regarding the territory.

A working group of representatives from the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland has since been meeting to discuss the way forward.

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