French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Greenland on Sunday in a symbolic show of unity with Denmark, following threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to take control of the Arctic territory.
Greenland, though self-governing, remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and has the right to pursue independence. Both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have made it clear: the island is not for sale, and any decision about its future rests solely with the Greenlandic people.
President Trump has expressed interest in acquiring the strategically located, resource-rich island and has not ruled out the use of force. His vice president, JD Vance, visited a U.S. military installation on Greenland earlier this year.
Macron is the first foreign leader to visit the island since Trump's remarks. Invited by the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark, he said the trip is intended to discourage attempts to exploit the territory.
"France has supported us since the first announcements about taking our land surfaced. That support is both welcome and essential," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote in a Facebook post ahead of the visit.
When asked if Macron planned to make a direct statement to the United States, one of his advisers said, “The visit speaks for itself,” without directly referencing Trump.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told RTL radio: "Greenland is a European territory. It's only natural that Europe and especially France expresses its interest".
A new IFOP poll for NYC.eu published Saturday showed 77% of French and 56% of Americans oppose U.S. annexation of Greenland. Notably, 43% of French respondents would support military intervention to prevent a U.S. takeover.
During his visit, Macron will tour the capital Nuuk, a glacier, and a hydropower facility co-funded by the EU. He will also meet with local leaders to discuss Arctic security and climate change.
Though Denmark is part of the EU, Greenland is not. Macron's team says the trip will explore ways to enhance Greenland’s partnership with the European Union.
Following Trump's threats, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has increased engagement with Paris, including multiple visits and new defence contracts with French suppliers, including orders for surface-to-air missile systems.
According to Florian Vidal of the IFRI think tank, Denmark's outreach to France, Europe's only nuclear power reflects a shift. Long a close ally of Washington, Copenhagen is now seeking strategic balance.
"The Trump administration’s confrontational stance has pushed Denmark to see France's vision of a more autonomous Europe as more viable", Vidal said. "From a Nordic perspective, France is a serious military power".
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