The EU and Greenland are set to sign a new joint partnership that will bring a substantial increase in European funding and investment to the Arctic island.
The agreement comes as geopolitical tensions surrounding Greenland intensify, following US President Donald Trump’s threats to seize the territory by force.
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The EU established an official presence in Greenland two years ago, before Mr Trump returned to office.
Greenland was once part of the EU through its connection to the Kingdom of Denmark, but formally left in 1985 after opposing the Common Fisheries Policy. Despite that departure, ties between Greenland and the bloc have remained close.
The new partnership is expected to deliver a significant rise in funding.
Investment will target education and fisheries, alongside satellite and cable links, hydropower and critical raw materials.
The package will also provide backing for housing, tourism and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Officials said the increased support reflects the EU’s Arctic strategy. As ice caps retreat, new maritime shipping routes are emerging, while competition is growing over access to critical raw materials.
Speaking in Nuuk yesterday, Ms von der Leyen described the package as “substantial” but did not disclose its value.
“Greenland’s stunning landscapes and natural beauty will stay with me for a long time. But so will the visible scars of climate change on the ice sheet,” Ms von der Leyen wrote on X after travelling by boat through a fjord scattered with chunks of ice beneath clear blue skies.
“As the ice melts, a new reality is taking shape,” she added.
Mr Nielsen said Greenland wanted to build on its “close friendship and good partnership” with the EU.
Additional reporting by Reuters
