ISTANBUL
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday reiterated the need to strengthen their defense posture in the Arctic and called on the European Union to play its full role in such efforts.
"In light of Russia’s posture in the High North, China’s economic presence there, and the strategic consequences of this rapprochement, we share the need to strengthen our defense posture in the Arctic," Macron said during a joint news conference with Danish and Greenlandic leaders in Paris.
Reaffirming that several European states have already begun strengthening their defense postures through joint exercises, he called on the EU to "play its full role in these efforts, including by revising its Arctic strategy."
"Recent events confirm that the situation in Greenland is a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe—regarding the assertion of our European sovereignty, our contribution to Arctic security, the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, the fight against climate change, and the establishment of a privileged partnership for sustainable development and the reduction of strategic dependencies," Macron underscored.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said there were lessons for Europe in recent weeks, stressing that if European countries stand united without compromising democratic values and send a clear signal that they will respond collectively to external threats, they can move forward, calling it a "decisive moment" that has shown unity works.
“In a situation where the world order as we have known it is under pressure, changing rapidly, or maybe is gone, then we need a stronger Europe than ever, a Europe that is willing and able to stand up for our values and for our principles," Frederiksen said.
She noted it is up to Europeans to create a "confident and prosperous Europe of tomorrow."
For his part, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen thanked France for standing with them "without hesitation" and stressed that "it's time for unity, not division."
"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, and integrity," Nielsen further said.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the US must acquire Greenland for national security reasons and to deter rivals such as China and Russia in the Arctic. Both Denmark and Greenland have so far rejected any proposal to sell the territory or cede sovereignty.
While Trump has moderated his rhetoric on Greenland following last week's meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, tensions over US demands remain unresolved.
Following the Davos meeting, Trump announced a framework deal on Greenland, aimed at addressing US security concerns. The specifics of the plan remain undisclosed. Several media reports have claimed the deal would designate US military bases in Greenland as US sovereign territory.