European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Nuuk on September 6 and 7 to announce a 200 million euro investment package for Greenland. The two-day visit serves as a show of support for the governments of Greenland and Denmark, promising a stronger partnership and tightened links with the autonomous Danish territory.
The investment comes as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated demands and threats to annex the mineral-rich island on national security grounds. By unveiling the support package, von der Leyen backed Greenland's territorial integrity and aimed to reassure the territory after it rebuffed American efforts to take control.
The funding, offered over the next two years, will help Greenland tackle climate change and improve its infrastructure. Key areas of investment include critical minerals, satellite communications, and renewable energy, specifically hydropower plants, as well as enhancements to fisheries, education, and internet connections.
During her visit, von der Leyen recognized new security risks, environmental concerns, and trade routes affecting the region, vowing that the EU and Greenland would navigate these changes together. This move follows a proposal from Brussels to double direct EU aid to Greenland under the bloc's next budget and occurs shortly after Icelanders voted to reject restarting EU membership talks.