European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right), Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen (left), and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visit Cournock, an abandoned settlement on the island of Caalsup Nunaa (also known as “Bear Island”) in Greenland on September 6, 2026.
Mads Klaus Rasmussen | AFP | Getty Images
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday announced a new funding boost for Greenland aimed at strengthening ties between the Danish territory and the Arctic region amid US President Donald Trump’s annexation push.
The EU chief, who was speaking alongside Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, said the 200 million euro ($232.3 million) funding package reflected Greenland’s “clear choice” to strengthen ties with the 27-nation bloc.
“This partnership package focuses on three main areas: strategic priorities, which we call the Big C: connectivity, clean energy (and) critical raw materials,” von der Leyen told a news conference.
The fund, which will be invested this year and in 2027, aims to strengthen ties between the EU and the Arctic, with von der Leyen describing Greenland as a “strategic ally and reliable friend.”
This comes shortly after Icelanders voted to reject the restart of EU accession negotiations and shortly after President Trump reiterated his commitment to acquiring Greenland on national security grounds.
“The European Union remains not only an important partner for Greenland, but also a loyal and reliable friend,” Greenland’s Nielsen said.
“Your support for us through this difficult time has never ceased. You have supported us and will continue to support us. We feel it and we deeply appreciate it. Thank you,” he added.
Asked if he was concerned about how President Trump would react to the funding package and what message should be taken from the announcement, Denmark’s Frederiksen said: “We have been under pressure, and that is very clear. We are very grateful for the tremendous support we have received from our European partners, and by the way, globally as well.”
Frederiksen insisted that Denmark wants to cooperate closely with the United States on issues such as security and defense, but stressed: “Of course we also want to cooperate even more closely with our European allies, and that is exactly what we are doing now in the Arctic region.”
The EU’s von der Leyen said Greenland was “resolute under enormous pressure”, apparently referring to Trump’s pursuit of U.S. control of the territory. “Europe is also firmly united with you. This is the basic message,” he added.
Trump has long claimed control of Greenland, a vast, sparsely populated, largely frozen island, but the US president’s obsession with the territory became a major transatlantic issue earlier this year.
President Trump, who did not rule out the possibility of using military force to annex Greenland, suddenly announced in late January that he had formed a “framework for future agreements” with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte regarding the territory.
A working group of representatives from the United States, Denmark and Greenland has since met to discuss how to proceed.
