ISTANBUL

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Thursday for stepping up investment in Arctic security and using Europe’s defense spending surge for equipment such as icebreaker ships.

"We have collectively underinvested in the Arctic and Arctic security. So now it is high time to step up," von der Leyen said during a joint news conference with European Council President Antonio Costa.

Her remarks came after EU leaders met in Brussels to address developments with Washington following tensions over US President Donald Trump's interest in Greenland due to its strategic Arctic position, abundant mineral resources and growing concerns about Russian and Chinese influence in the region.

Reaffirming that they are working on enhancing their relationship with Greenland, von der Leyen noted that the Commission will put forward a "substantive package of investments."

"Beyond investments, we also intend to deepen cooperation with the US and all partners on Arctic security. In particular, I believe we should use our defense spending surge on Arctic-ready equipment, a European Ice Breaker, for instance," she underscored.

Pointing to a "real geopolitical necessity," she also stressed the need to strengthen the bloc's security and defense arrangements with partners, such as the UK, Canada, Norway and Iceland.

For his part, Costa reiterated that Denmark and Greenland "have the full support of the European Union."

"We believe that relationships between partners and allies should be managed in a cordial and respectful way. Europe and the United States have a shared interest in the security of the Arctic region, notably working through NATO. The European Union will also play a stronger role in this region," Costa said.

He viewed the US decision to back off from imposing tariffs on some European countries over the Greenland issue as "positive," underlining that additional tariffs would have been incompatible with the EU-US trade deal.

"Our focus must now be on moving forward on the implementation of that deal. The goal remains the effective stabilization of the trade relations between the European Union and the US," Costa said.

He further cautioned that the EU will continue to stand up for its interests and will defend itself "against any form of coercion."

"It has the power and the tools to do so and will do so if and when necessary," he added.

Costa also expressed a readiness to pursue engaging "constructively" with the US on "all issues of common interest."

- Doubling down on support for Ukraine

Von der Leyen also reaffirmed that they are "doubling down" on their support for Ukraine as they are deploying this week 447 emergency generators to restore power to hospitals, shelters and critical services.

"Work is progressing well on the security and prosperity aspects of the peace talks...And on prosperity, we are close to an agreement with the US and Ukraine on a single unified prosperity framework," she said.

She noted that the framework aims to boost the prosperity of Ukraine when a peaceful ceasefire is achieved.

"We are talking about a single document representing the collective vision of the Ukrainians, Americans and Europe for Ukraine's post-war future," she added.

Von der Leyen stressed that the agreement on the Prosperity Framework is a "very important milestone."

"We are actively preparing Ukraine's future as a modern, sovereign and free country. This is a strong signal to our brave neighbor and partner in difficult times," she said.

- Doubts over Gaza 'Board of Peace'

Costa further raised the bloc's concerns over the “Board of Peace,” a body intended to help resolve international conflicts starting with the Gaza Strip.

"We have serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board of Peace related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the UN Charter. We are ready to work together with the US on the implementation of the comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, with a Board of Peace carrying out its mission as a transitional administration, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803," he said.

Last week, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace alongside the approval of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave.

The creation of the board coincided with the launch of phase two of a ceasefire agreement which halted Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71,000 people and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

The initiative is part of a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and adopted by the UN Security Council under Resolution 2803 last November.