French President, Emmanuel Macron has asserted that a recent standoff with the United States over Greenland was “a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe.”
Speaking alongside the leaders of Denmark and Greenland, Macron emphasized that this “awakening” must focus “on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, and on the fight against global warming.”
Macron hosted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic leader Jens Frederik Nielsen at the Élysée Palace, a meeting aimed to send a clear political signal of European support in response to the expansionist ambitions expressed by US President Donald Trump.
According to Paris, the three leaders discussed “the security challenges in the Arctic and the economic and social development of Greenland that France and the European Union are ready to support.”
Emphasising the need for a Europe more capable of defending itself, Mette Frederiksen said, “I think Europe has learned some lessons over the past few weeks.”
She also highlighted NATO’s key role, saying that the body “will have an important role to play in the Arctic.”
This show of European solidarity comes as France prepares to strengthen its diplomatic presence in the region.
Paris plans to open a consulate in Nuuk, the capital of the Danish semi-autonomous territory, on February 6, 2026.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked Macron for continuing support, including his last year’s visit to Greenland’s capital Nuuk, and for France’s willingness to get involved in strengthening the Arctic security.
She stressed that “in a situation where the world order, as we have known, it is under pressure, changing rapidly [or] maybe it’s gone, we need a stronger Europe than ever.”
“For me, the way forward is quite clear. It’s up to us, and only up to us Europeans to create a confident and prosperous Europe of tomorrow.”
Mette Frederiksen
In pointed remarks, she said that the last few weeks of standoff with Trump showed that “if somebody is threatening us from outside, we will stand up together and we will respond.”
She reiterated that Europe needs to get stronger and more independent from the US.
“It is a decisive moment for Europe … and it works. … To use the words of one of your most famous music groups: we must work it harder, make it better, do it faster, and make us stronger.”
Mette Frederiksen
Greenland Lauds Cooperation With France
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen stressed the political and ideological dimension of cooperation with Paris.
The partnership between France and Greenland, he said, “does not concern Greenland alone” but is part of a shared defence of “democratic values.”
“Our close cooperation in this situation is not only about Greenland. It goes beyond Greenland. For us, this is about the values in the world: our democracy, respect for international law and order, integrity.”
Jens Frederik Nielsen
The Paris meeting is part of a broader diplomatic sequence. In recent days, Frederiksen has intensified European consultations, attending a summit on energy and security cooperation in the North Sea in Hamburg, followed by a visit to Berlin.
With its 57,000 inhabitants, Greenland remains a key territory due to its strategic position and natural resources, at the heart of an increasingly contested Arctic region.
Trump repeatedly threatened to annex the world’s largest island, citing its importance for US national security. He also claimed, without evidence, that if America didn’t take control of Greenland, Russia or China would.
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