NUUK, Greenland — French President Emmanuel Macron’s first journey to Greenland, the strategic Arctic island coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, is aimed toward shoring up Europe’s political backing for Denmark and its semiautonomous territory.
Macron’s go to on Sunday comes simply forward a gathering of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations subsequent week in Canada that will probably be attended by each Macron and Trump.
The French president’s workplace mentioned the journey to Greenland is a reminder that Paris helps rules of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders as enshrined within the U.N. constitution.
Macron can also be to fulfill with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Macron talked about Greenland final week in his opening speech on the U.N. Ocean Convention, saying it isn’t “up for grabs” in remarks that appeared directed largely at Trump.
“The deep seas aren’t on the market, neither is Greenland up for grabs, nor are the Arctic or the excessive seas on the market, nor are fishing licenses in creating nations up for grabs, nor are scientific knowledge and the safety of coastal populations to be sacrificed,″ Macron mentioned on the summit in Good, France.
Macron in current months has sought to reinvigorate France’s role as the diplomatic and economic heavyweight of the 27-nation European Union.
The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump’s threats to tug help from Ukraine because it fights towards Russia’s invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with different European heads of state to debate Kyiv, in addition to safety points on the continent.
Sunday’s go to may also be the event to debate learn how to additional improve relations between the EU and Greenland relating to financial improvement, low-carbon power transition and significant minerals. The leaders may also have exchanges on efforts to curb international warming, in response to Macron’s workplace.
A gathering between Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen will happen on a Danish helicopter service, exhibiting France’s considerations over safety points within the area, Macron’s workplace mentioned.
Final week, U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by drive if vital however refused to reply repeated questions throughout a hotly combative congressional listening to Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations.
Hegseth’s feedback had been the official statement controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration in regards to the Arctic island. The president himself has mentioned he will not rule out navy drive to take over Greenland, which he considers important to American safety within the excessive north.
The Wall Street Journal last month reported that a number of high-ranking officers beneath the U.S. director of nationwide intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence company heads to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and sentiment about U.S. useful resource extraction there.
Nielsen in April mentioned that U.S. statements in regards to the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland “won’t ever, ever be a bit of property that may be purchased by simply anybody.”
___
Corbet reported from Paris. Related Press author Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report.