Latest news with #JensFrederikNielsen
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Macron criticises Trump's threats to take over Greenland during visit
Emmanuel Macron has criticised Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland as he became the first foreign head of state to visit the vast, mineral-rich Arctic territory since the US president began making explicit threats to annex it. 'I don't think that's what allies do,' Macron said as he arrived in the Danish autonomous territory for a highly symbolic visit aimed at conveying 'France's and the EU's solidarity' with Greenland on his way to a summit of G7 leaders in Canada. The French president said: 'It's important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, where the strategic stakes are very high and whose territorial integrity must be respected.' Trump has said repeatedly the US needs Greenland, which is strategically located at the crossroads between the Atlantic and the Arctic, for US national security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Polls show the vast majority of Greenland's 57,000 people want independence from Denmark but not to become part of the US. The Danish government has said Greenland 'is not for sale' and only Greenlanders can determine their future. Macron's six-hour visit was 'a signal in itself' and came at the request of both Denmark and Greenland, his office said. It began with talks with the Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, on a Danish naval frigate. The French president was also due to visit a glacier to see the effects of global heating, and to discuss how to include Greenland in EU action to aid development while 'respecting its sovereignty'. A planned visit to a hydroelectric plant was cancelled. Macron said before the visit that it was aimed at preventing further 'preying' on the territory. In March, the US vice-president, JD Vance, visited the Pituffik US military base on the island, criticising Denmark for not having 'done a good job by the people of Greenland' and alleging Copenhagen had neglected the territory's security. Pituffik, on the shortest route for missiles fired from Russia at the US, is essential to Washington's missile defence system; while Greenland's strategic importance has risen amid a race for rare earths and as melting ice opens up new shipping routes. The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, last week appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon had developed plans to take over Greenland by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions about the subject at a congressional hearing. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that agency officials under the US national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, were looking into Greenland's independence movement and sentiment about US resource extraction there. Frederiksen made several visits to Paris after Trump's threats against Greenland, which unlike Denmark is not an EU member but has an association agreement with the bloc. Copenhagen has placed orders for French-made surface-to-air missiles. Florian Vidal of the Paris-based Ifri thinktank said that for Denmark, long one of Washington's most loyal allies in Europe, enlisting the support of the EU's only nuclear power was a way to project hard power towards a suddenly more predatory US. Vidal said: 'The Trump administration's more aggressive posture makes the French vision of Europe, one that is more autonomous, appear more reasonable for Denmark. From a Nordic point of view, France is a military power that counts.' Nielsen said in April that US statements about Greenland to date had been 'disrespectful' and that the island would 'never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone'. He said last week that France's support had been evident 'since the first statements about taking our land emerged' and was both 'necessary and gratifying'.
Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Macron visits Greenland in show of support after Trump's threats
Greenland is not part of the European Union but is on the list of overseas territories associated with the bloc. (Ritzau Scanpix/AP pic) PARIS : French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greenland today carrying a message of 'European solidarity and support' for the Danish autonomous territory coveted by US President Donald Trump, located at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Arctic. Macron will be the first foreign head of state to set foot on the vast territory – roughly nine times larger than the UK, with 80% of its area covered in ice – since Trump's annexation threats. Trump has repeatedly said the US needs the strategically located, resource-rich Arctic island for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. The deep sea, Greenland and Antarctica are 'not for sale', Macron said Monday at a UN oceans summit, remarks clearly directed at Trump's expansionist claims. 'I'm going to say: 'We're here, and we're ready to reinvest ourselves so that there is no preying'' on it, Macron said a few days ahead of his trip. Following his arrival in Greenland's capital Nuuk at 11.30am, the French leader will visit a glacier, a hydroelectric power plant and a Danish frigate. He will be accompanied throughout his visit by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Macron's trip will be 'a signal in itself made at the request of Danish and Greenlandic authorities', his office said. 'Not for sale' The Danish invitation to Macron contrasts sharply with the reception granted to US vice-president JD 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, 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 US. 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 US. Denmark has also repeatedly stressed that Greenland 'is not for sale'. 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. As a result, Copenhagen in January announced a US$2 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, Macron plans 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. Mount Nunatarsuaq Macron will also see first-hand the effects of climate change when he visits a glacier on Mount Nunatarsuaq, about 30km from Nuuk. Greenland's ice sheet melted 17 times faster than the historical average during a May 15-21 heatwave in Greenland, a recent report showed. France intends to 'massively reinvest in the knowledge of these ecosystems', following the footsteps of famed French explorer Paul-Emile Victor who carried out multiple expeditions to Greenland, Macron's office said. Greenlandic authorities recently designated Victor's hut, built in 1950 in Quervain Bay in the north, as an historic structure. At a hydroelectric power station in Buksefjorden, located 600m inside a mountain and funded by the European Union, the three leaders will discuss Greenland's decarbonisation and energy supply. Unlike Denmark, Greenland is not part of the European Union but is on the list of overseas territories associated with the bloc.
CTV News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Macron visits Greenland to show European support for the strategic Arctic island coveted by Trump
French President Emmanuel Macron, center, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, 2nd right, and Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen aboard the Danish frigate F363 Niels Juel in Nuuk, Greenland, Sunday, June 15, 2025.(Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) NUUK, Greenland — NUUK, Greenland (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron landed Sunday in Greenland, the strategic Arctic island coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, carrying a 'message of solidarity and friendship' from France and the European Union. Macron reiterated his criticism of Trump's intention to take control of the territory. 'I don't think that's something to be done between allies,' he said as he was greeted at the Nuuk airport by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. 'It's important to show that Denmark and Europe are committed to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected,' Macron said. He was making a stop on his way a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Canada that will be also attended by Trump. Macron, who is visiting Greenland for the first time, said 'it means a lot to me ... to convey a message of friendship and solidarity from France and the European Union to help this territory face the different challenges: economic development, education, as well as the consequences of climate change.' In a speech last week at at the U.N. Ocean Conference, Macron also mentioned Greenland and the deep seas, saying they are not 'up for grabs' in remarks that appeared directed largely at Trump. Macron's role in Europe Macron in recent 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 pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent. Sunday's visit will also be the occasion to discuss how to further enhance relations between the EU and Greenland when it comes to economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals. The leaders will also have exchanges on efforts to curb global warming, according to Macron's office. Later Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen held a meeting on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France's concerns over security issues in the region. Trump and Greenland Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations. Hegseth's comments were the latest controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration about the Arctic island. The president himself has said he won't rule out military force to take over Greenland, which he considers vital to American security in the high north. The Wall Street Journal last month reported that several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland's independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there. Nielsen in April said that U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland 'will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.' Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report. Kwiyeon Ha And Slyvie Corbet, The Associated Press
Globe and Mail
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Macron visits Greenland to show French, EU solidarity after Trump annexation threats
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he was visiting Greenland to show French and European Union solidarity with the Arctic island after U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to take it over. Asked about those threats as he arrived in Greenland, Macron said: 'I don't think that's what allies do ... it's important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected.' Greenland is a self-governing part of Denmark with the right to declare independence. Both the Greenland and Danish governments say it is not for sale and only Greenlanders can determine their future. Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island, and has not ruled out force. His vice president, JD Vance, visited a U.S. military base there in March. Macron, the first foreign leader to visit Greenland since Trump's explicit threats to 'get' the island, was invited by the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark. He has said his visit is meant to prevent any 'preying' on the territory. 'France has stood by us since the first statements about taking our land emerged. This support is both necessary and gratifying,' Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on Facebook days ahead of Macron's visit. 'I'm not worried that he (Trump) will be furious. It should be seen as us wanting to create more development in Greenland,' Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR on Sunday when asked if he believed Macron's visit would upset the U.S. president. Why does Donald Trump want Greenland and could he get it? Asked if Macron would deliver an explicit message to the United States during his visit, an adviser to the French president told reporters: 'The trip is a signal in itself,' without mentioning Trump. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL radio on Sunday: 'Greenland is a European territory and it is normal that Europe, and notably France, show their interest.' According to an IFOP poll for published on Saturday, 77% of French people and 56% of Americans disapprove of an annexation of Greenland by the U.S. and 43% of the French would back using French military power to prevent a U.S. invasion. Macron will visit the capital, Nuuk, as well as a hydropower station funded by the EU and a glacier, and discuss Arctic security and climate change with his hosts. Though Denmark is an EU member, Greenland is outside the bloc. The French adviser said the visit would be an opportunity to discuss how to give Greenland's association partnership with the EU a 'new dimension'. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made several visits to Paris after Trump's threats to seek French and European backing, and has placed orders for French-made surface-to-air missiles, in a shift of focus for Copenhagen. Opinion: America's long Arctic love affair is culminating in Trump's designs on Greenland Enlisting the EU's only nuclear power is a way for Denmark, long one of Washington's most loyal allies in Europe, to project a form of hard power towards a suddenly more aggressive United States, said Florian Vidal of the Paris-based IFRI think tank. 'The Trump administration's more aggressive posture is a shock that makes the French vision of Europe, one that is more autonomous, appear more reasonable for Denmark,' he said. 'From a Nordic point of view, France is a military power that counts.' 'I think the U.S. president is serious. It's a difficult situation we're in. That's why it's really important that the French president comes, because it helps to emphasize the necessary European unity in this situation,' Frederiksen told DR on Sunday.
Asharq Al-Awsat
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Macron Visits Greenland to Show European Solidarity After Trump Annexation Threats
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he was visiting Greenland to show French and European Union solidarity with the Arctic island after US President Donald Trump's threats to take it over. Asked about those threats as he arrived in Greenland, Macron said: "I don't think that's what allies do ... it's important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected." Greenland is a self-governing part of Denmark with the right to declare independence. Both the Greenland and Danish governments say it is not for sale and only Greenlanders can determine their future. Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island, and has not ruled out force. His vice president, JD Vance, visited a US military base there in March. Macron, the first foreign leader to visit Greenland since Trump's explicit threats to "get" the island, was invited by the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark. He has said his visit is meant to prevent any "preying" on the territory. "France has stood by us since the first statements about taking our land emerged. This support is both necessary and gratifying," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on Facebook days ahead of Macron's visit. "I'm not worried that he (Trump) will be furious. It should be seen as us wanting to create more development in Greenland," Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR on Sunday when asked if he believed Macron's visit would upset the US president. Asked if Macron would deliver an explicit message to the United States during his visit, an adviser to the French president told reporters: "The trip is a signal in itself," without mentioning Trump. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL radio on Sunday: "Greenland is a European territory and it is normal that Europe, and notably France, show their interest." According to an IFOP poll for published on Saturday, 77% of French people and 56% of Americans disapprove of an annexation of Greenland by the US and 43% of the French would back using French military power to prevent a US invasion. Macron will visit the capital, Nuuk, as well as a hydropower station funded by the EU and a glacier, and discuss Arctic security and climate change with his hosts. Though Denmark is an EU member, Greenland is outside the bloc. The French adviser said the visit would be an opportunity to discuss how to give Greenland's association partnership with the EU a "new dimension". Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made several visits to Paris after Trump's threats to seek French and European backing, and has placed orders for French-made surface-to-air missiles, in a shift of focus for Copenhagen. Enlisting the EU's only nuclear power is a way for Denmark, long one of Washington's most loyal allies in Europe, to project a form of hard power towards a suddenly more aggressive United States, said Florian Vidal of the Paris-based IFRI think tank. "The Trump administration's more aggressive posture is a shock that makes the French vision of Europe, one that is more autonomous, appear more reasonable for Denmark," he said. "From a Nordic point of view, France is a military power that counts." "I think the US president is serious. It's a difficult situation we're in. That's why it's really important that the French president comes, because it helps to emphasize the necessary European unity in this situation," Frederiksen told DR on Sunday.
