The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived on Sunday, September 6, in Greenland with the aim of presenting a "substantial package of measures" that aims to reaffirm the European Union's commitment to the Danish autonomous territory. Von der Leyen was received at Nuuk airport by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the president of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, with the presence of the prime minister of the Faroe Islands, Beinir Johannesen, also expected.
The situation in Greenland has changed significantly since von der Leyen's last visit in March 2024, when she inaugurated a new EU office and signed cooperation agreements worth almost 94 million euros. The changes are especially due to the repeated annexation aspirations expressed by US President Donald Trump, who considered the island "very important" for Washington, although both Denmark and Greenland have denied the security concerns invoked by Trump.
As a result of the tensions created by Trump's statements, a working group composed of American, Greenlandic and Danish representatives was created to find solutions for the security interests of the United States by the end of the year. The EU is also reviewing its Arctic policy, with von der Leyen expected to announce increased financial support for Greenland, according to the Financial Times in an amount of 200 million euros, in addition to signing a new joint declaration on relations between the bloc and the island.
Von der Leyen highlighted that the EU and Greenland maintain "a long-standing collaboration and friendship" and assured that both parties have worked intensely to strengthen the relationship in the coming years. Frederiksen added that all parties have worked to bring the European Union closer to all regions of the Kingdom of Denmark. On the first day of the visit, von der Leyen visited Greenland's ice sheet by boat with Nielsen and Frederiksen, while on Monday the three leaders launched the enhanced satellite connectivity project for Greenland.
