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French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Greenland is “not to be sold” nor “to be taken” in a key visit Sunday to the strategic Arctic territory coveted by US President Donald Trump, saying he’s conveying a message of French and European solidarity.
Macron expressed strong criticism of Trump’s intention to take control of the territory.
“The situation in Greenland is clearly a wakeup call for all Europeans. Let me tell you very directly that you’re not alone,” Macron said during a press conference.
“And when a strategic message is sent to you, I want just for you to know that it’s clearly perceived by the Europeans as targeting a European land. And this flag you have here is our common flag,” he added.
Sunday’s symbolic stop to Greenland comes as the French leader is on his way to a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations in Canada that will be also attended by Trump.
Macron was greeted in Nuuk, the territory’s capital, by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Asked whether France would be ready to militarily support Greenland if Trump was to decide to invade, Macron declined to discuss the hypothesis.
“I won’t start elaborating on ‘what if’ scenarios publicly,” he said. “Because I don’t believe that in the end, the US, which is an ally and a friend, would ever do something aggressive against another ally.”
Macron’s diplomatic ambitions
The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump’s threats to pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent.
On Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen held a meeting on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France’s concerns over security issues in the region.
Macron also called for more joint military exercises with Nordic and Baltic countries, Canada, and even the United States, aimed at strengthening security in Greenland and across the Arctic region.
All three then headed to a fast-melting glacier where they watched the consequences of climate change. The visit also allowed them to discuss economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals.
“It’s a strange time for us in Greenland,” Nielsen said. “We live on some democratic principles built up for many years: respect for international law, respect for borders, respect for law of the sea, and we are glad you could stand with us to state that those principles are very very important.”
