Macron criticises Trump's threats to annex Greenland during visit
French President Emmanuel Macron (centre) is welcomed by Danish PM Mette Frederiksen (left) and Greenlandic PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen as he arrives at Nuuk Airport in Nuuk, Greenland. PHOTO: AFP
NUUK - French President Emmanuel Macron on June 15 criticised US President Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland, as he made a visit to the Danish autonomous territory.
'That's not what allies do,' Mr Macron said as he arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital.
Mr Macron is the first foreign head of state to visit the vast territory – at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Arctic – since Mr Trump's annexation threats.
Mr Trump, since returning to the White House in January, has repeatedly said America needs the strategically located, resource-rich island for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it.
Denmark has also repeatedly stressed that Greenland 'is not for sale'.
Mr Macron said his visit was aimed at conveying 'France's and the European Union's solidarity' for 'the sovereignty and territorial integrity' of Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and dozens of Greenlanders waving their territory's red-and-white flags, were on hand to greet the French president.
Mr Macron kicked off his six-hour visit with talks on board a Danish frigate with Ms Frederiksen and Mr Nielsen.
He then visited a glacier to see firsthand the effects of global warming.
Mr Macron's trip to Greenland was 'a signal in itself, made at the request of Danish and Greenlandic authorities', his office said ahead of the trip.
'Not for sale'
The Danish invitation to Mr Macron contrasts sharply with the reception granted to US Vice-President J.D. Vance, whose one-day trip to Greenland in March was seen as a provocation by both Nuuk and Copenhagen.
During his visit to the US Pituffik military base, Mr Vance castigated Denmark for not having 'done a good job by the people of Greenland', alleging they had neglected security.
The Pituffik base is an essential part of Washington's missile defence infrastructure, its location putting it on the shortest route for missiles fired from Russia at the United States.
Polls indicate that the vast majority of Greenland's 57,000 inhabitants want to become independent from Denmark – but do not wish to become part of the United States.
Unlike Denmark, Greenland is not part of the European Union but is on the list of Overseas Territories associated with the bloc.
The Arctic has gained geostrategic importance as the race for rare earths heats up and as melting ice caused by global warming opens up new shipping routes.
Copenhagen in January announced a US$2 billion (S$2.6 billion) plan to boost its military presence in the Arctic region.
Nato also plans to set up a Combined Air Operations Centre (Caoc) in Norway above the Arctic Circle, as Russia aims to bolster its military presence in the region.
During his visit, Mr Macron was to discuss Arctic security and how to include the territory in 'European action' to contribute to its development, while 'respecting its sovereignty', his office said.
French President Emmanuel Macron (centre) walks on the glacier Mont Nunatarsuaq flanked by Danish PM Mette Frederiksen (left) and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
PHOTO: AFP
Mount Nunatarsuaq
Mr Macron later took a helicopter tour of a glacier on Mount Nunatarsuaq, about 30km from Nuuk.
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, according to a 2022 study in scientific journal Nature. Greenland's ice sheet melted 17 times faster than the historical average during a May 15-21 heatwave, a recent report showed.
From the helicopter, Mr Macron was able to observe a sea of fissured ice as far as the eye could see. He also took a walking tour on a rocky, grey stretch of land until recently covered in ice, a changing landscape which is having a major impact on local communities, the Greenlandic prime minister explained.
Measuring 9,000 sq km, the Nuuk fjord system is one of the biggest in the world.
France intends to 'massively reinvest in the knowledge of these ecosystems,' following in the footsteps of famed French explorer Paul-Emile Victor who carried out multiple expeditions to Greenland, Mr Macron's office said.
Greenlandic authorities recently designated Victor's hut, built in 1950 in Quervain Bay in the north, as a historic structure.
Mr Macron was to leave Greenland on June 15 evening to fly on to Canada for a G-7 meeting. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 21, 2025
British foreign minister David Lammy (left) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot briefing the media in Geneva on June 20, after their talks with Iran's Foreign Minister on Tehran's nuclear programme. PHOTO: AFP While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 21, 2025 Europe-Iran talks yield little at 'perilous' moment There were few signs of progress after European foreign ministers met their Iranian counterpart on June 20 in a bid to prevent conflict in the Middle East from escalating, although all signalled readiness to keep talking, despite major sticking points. The foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France - known as the E3 - plus the EU, urged Iran to engage with the United States over its contentious nuclear programme even as Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not open discussions with the Trump administration until Israeli strikes on Iran end. The talks aimed to test Tehran's willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal despite there being no obvious prospect of Israel ceasing its attacks soon, diplomats said. For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran was ready to consider diplomacy once Israel had ceased its attacks and been held accountable for its actions. READ MORE HERE Trump says he may support Israel-Iran ceasefire President Donald Trump said on June 20 he might support a ceasefire in the week-old aerial conflict between US ally Israel and its regional rival Iran 'depending on the circumstances'. Asked by reporters if he would support a ceasefire while negotiations are ongoing, Mr Trump said: 'I might, depending on the circumstances.' Europe would not be able to help much in the war between Iran and Israel, Mr Trump added. READ MORE HERE US judge orders release of pro-Palestinian activist A US judge ordered on June 20 that Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil be released from immigration custody, a major victory for rights groups that challenged what they called the Trump administration's unlawful targeting of a pro-Palestinian activist. Mr Khalil, a prominent figure in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's war on Gaza, was arrested by immigration agents in the lobby of his university residence in Manhattan on March 8. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has called the protests anti-Semitic and vowed to deport foreign students who took part, and Mr Khalil became the first target of this policy. READ MORE HERE Russia must not let economy slip into recession, says Putin Russia's economy must under no circumstances slide into recession, President Vladimir Putin told an economic forum on June 20, in a clear instruction to assembled government ministers and central bankers. The Bank of Russia hiked its key interest rate to the highest level since the early 2000s in October, seeking to curb stubbornly high inflation, before cutting it by one percentage point to 20 per cent earlier this month. Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, in a downbeat message to Russia's showcase economic event, said on June 20 that the economy was on the verge of sliding into recession and monetary policy decisions would determine whether it falls into one or not. Pressure on the central bank is mounting. READ MORE HERE Liverpool shatter club record to sign Germany's Wirtz Liverpool have signed Germany's Florian Wirtz from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, the Premier League champions said on June 20, as they smashed their transfer record to seal a deal for the attacking midfielder. Leverkusen will receive a guaranteed amount of £100 million (S$170 million) and a further maximum of £16 million in potential bonuses. That makes the 22-year-old Liverpool's most-expensive signing ever, ahead of Netherlands centre back and captain Virgil van Dijk who joined for £75 million in 2017. READ MORE HERE Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
US stocks end week mostly lower
Traders working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK - Wall Street stocks mostly fell on June 20 amid weakness in some semiconductor shares as markets weighed the latest developments in the ongoing war between Iran and Israel. Markets rose after President Donald Trump's remarks on June 19 on the Middle East allowing for up to two weeks before possible US military action against Iran. But on the afternoon of June 20, Mr Trump expressed doubt that European powers would be able to help end the Iran-Israel war, telling reporters 'Europe is not going to be able to help in this.' The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 0.1 per cent at 42,206.82. But the broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.2 per cent to 5,967.84, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.5 per cent to 19,447.41. Analysts pointed to a pullback in some chip companies following a Wall Street Journal report that said the United States could revoke waivers used by some companies to access US technology in China. Asked about the matter, a Commerce Department spokesperson told AFP that chipmakers will still be able to operate in China. 'The new enforcement mechanisms on chips mirror licensing requirements that apply to other semiconductor companies that export to China and ensure the US has an equal and reciprocal process,' the spokesperson added. Mr Adam Sarhan, of 50 Park Investments, described the market as on edge in anticipation of new headlines on trade actions or the Middle East. 'We have a situation where tensions in the Middle East missiles are still firing, there's no ceasefire and there's a fear that the US may be involved,' Mr Sarhan said. In light of uncertainty on Iran and other areas, 'investors are de-risking, they're selling stocks ahead of the weekend,' Mr Sarhan said. Fed governor Christopher Waller told CNBC that central banks should 'look through tariff effects on inflation' and focus instead on the underlying trend in price increases. The Fed earlier this week voted to keep interest rates unchanged, as Fed chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank could wait to see if Mr Trump's tariffs revive inflation. Among individual companies, Kroger jumped nearly 10 per cent after the supermarket chain raised its sales forecast. However, the company refrained from lifting other projections, saying the macroeconomic environment remains 'uncertain.' CarMax surged 6.6 per cent after reporting a jump in quarterly profits as the company's chief executive officer pointed to a 'very large and fragmented' used car market that 'positions us to continue to drive sales, gain market share and deliver significantly year-over-year earnings growth for years to come.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Europe-Iran talks yield little in Geneva at ‘perilous' moment, ministers ready to meet again
British foreign minister David Lammy (left) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot briefing the media in Geneva on June 20, after their talks with Iran's Foreign Minister on Tehran's nuclear programme. PHOTO: AFP Europe-Iran talks yield little in Geneva at 'perilous' moment, ministers ready to meet again GENEVA - There were few signs of progress after European foreign ministers met their Iranian counterpart on June 20 in a bid to prevent conflict in the Middle East from escalating, although all signalled readiness to keep talking, despite major sticking points. The foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France - known as the E3 - plus the EU, urged Iran to engage with the United States over its contentious nuclear programme even as Tehran has repeatedly insisted it will not open discussions with the Trump administration until Israeli strikes on Iran end. The talks aimed to test Tehran's willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal despite there being no obvious prospect of Israel ceasing its attacks soon, diplomats said. 'The Iranian Foreign Minister has expressed his willingness to continue discussions on the nuclear programme and more broadly on all issues, and we expect Iran to commit to the discussion, including with the United States, to reach a negotiated settlement,' said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran was ready to consider diplomacy once Israel had ceased its attacks and been held accountable for its actions. 'In this regard, I made it crystal clear that Iran's defence capabilities are not negotiable,' he said, following the talks lasting around three hours in Geneva. No date for a follow-up meeting was announced despite Europeans underscoring the small window for diplomacy. US President Donald Trump has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join the Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran's nuclear capacity. European ministers spoke beforehand with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who signalled Washington was open to direct talks even as it mulls the strikes, diplomatic sources said. Washington did not confirm that, though broadcaster CNN quoted a US official saying Mr Trump supported diplomacy by allies that could bring Iran closer to a deal. Britain's foreign minister David Lammy said the European countries were eager to continue talks with Iran. 'This is a perilous moment, and it is hugely important that we don't see regional escalation of this conflict,' he said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi leaving after his meeting in Geneva with the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France - known as the E3 - plus the EU. PHOTO: AFP Two European diplomats said the E3 did not believe that Israel would accept a ceasefire in the near term and that it would be difficult for Iran and the US to resume negotiations. They said the idea was to begin a parallel negotiating track, initially without the US, on a new deal that would involve tougher inspections, and potentially on Iran's ballistic missile programme, while allowing Tehran some notional enrichment capacity. Enrichment differences The Trump administration is demanding Iran stop uranium enrichment altogether, whereas the E3 have in past talks left it some scope to enrich for civil ends in exchange for extremely strict international inspections. On June 20, French President Emmanuel Macron shifted closer to Mr Trump's position, saying that any new deal with Tehran needed to go towards zero enrichment. A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iran is ready to discuss limitations on its uranium enrichment but said the prospect of zero enrichment would undoubtedly be rejected. In a speech at the United Nations in Geneva before the E3 meeting, Mr Araqchi accused Israel of a 'betrayal of diplomacy', while Israel's envoy in Geneva raised a 'vehement objection' to the minister addressing the UN's Human Rights Council. Geneva was the scene of an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions lifting in 2013 before a comprehensive deal in 2015. Separate talks between Iran and the US collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 13. France's Mr Barrot spoke to Mr Rubio on June 19, during which Mr Rubio said Washington was ready for direct contact with the Iranians, a diplomatic source said. The Europeans wanted to make clear to Iran that the US is ready for direct talks, but that Iran must give a serious signal, two diplomats said, without defining what that could be. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
