Greenland visit: von der Leyen arrives amid US pressure

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Nuuk on Sunday for a two-day visit aimed at reaffirming European Union support for Greenland as the United States continues to show interest in the Arctic island.

“We are family,” von der Leyen said on arrival in Greenland's capital, where she was welcomed by Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Her agenda includes meetings with Greenlandic and Danish officials, a boat outing among icebergs and the signing of a joint statement between Greenland and the European Union.

US President Donald Trump said earlier this year that Washington needed to control Greenland for national security reasons, though he later ruled out annexing it by force. A Danish-Greenlandic-US working group has since met regularly on future cooperation.

Brussels has proposed doubling direct EU aid to Greenland to 530 million euros, or $616 million, under the bloc's next budget for 2028 to 2034. The Financial Times reported that von der Leyen is expected to propose another 200 million euros in support during the visit.

“Europe is delivering,” von der Leyen said. “We are expanding our cooperation to new areas, from better, faster connectivity and clean energy to critical raw materials.”

The visit coincides with the start of NATO's Arctic Shield military exercise, involving soldiers from 10 countries. The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Denmark of neglecting Greenland and Arctic security, while Copenhagen and NATO have increased activity in the region.

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory with about 57,000 residents, is also trying to develop its mining industry. AFP reported that more than 60 companies hold about 135 mining permits in Greenland, but only two mines are operating.