European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, for a two-day visit culminating in the announcement of a €200 million EU investment package for the world's largest island. The funds, confirmed by the Financial Times ahead of the formal unveiling, are to be directed toward critical minerals, renewable energy, satellite communications, and strengthening Greenland's public administration. The package comes on top of €225 million already allocated under the EU's 2021–2027 budget and is set to be complemented by a proposal to more than double direct EU aid to €530 million in the bloc's next budget cycle, covering 2028–2034. Von der Leyen is also expected to sign a joint partnership declaration with Greenland's government, formalising closer political ties.
The visit carries an unmistakable geopolitical message. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States must control Greenland — a semi-autonomous territory within the Danish realm — arguing it is essential for American security and at risk of falling into Russian or Chinese hands. Trump first floated buying the island during his first term in 2019, and since returning to office has continued to press the claim, most recently repeating it at a NATO summit in Turkey in July. In January, the crisis sharpened when Trump declined to rule out military action, prompting NATO allies to deploy troops to the island before NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte helped lower tensions. Trilateral talks between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland have so far produced no agreement. The pressure has continued in other forms: a Trump-linked US oil company, Greenland Energy, recently shipped drilling equipment to eastern Greenland before being rebuffed by local authorities, who suspended licensing decisions until winter 2027.
Von der Leyen's arrival coincides with the start of Arctic Shield, a NATO military exercise on the island involving more than a dozen nations and some 400 troops — a parallel signal that Greenland can be defended without exclusive American involvement. Arctic researchers note that the EU is seeking to demonstrate it can offer Greenland something tangible, not merely declarations of solidarity. The EU is already the second-largest contributor to Greenland's autonomous government budget, after Denmark itself, funding housing, healthcare, and cultural programmes.