By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - Greenland's prime minister said Wednesday that 2025 has been an "eventful, if not dramatic" year for Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing the need for stronger partnerships with countries and institutions that share common values.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, marking the first-ever address by a Greenlandic leader to the chamber, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Greenland is "no stranger to change," highlighting the resilience and cooperation that have defined the nation for thousands of years.

"Our people, the Greenlandic people is a proud people who have survived and thrived in the harsh condition of the Arctic for thousands of years. As we have dealt with these changes, one thing has remained constant, the recognition that we need each other," he said.

Nielsen underlined that cooperation and mutual respect form the core of Greenland's social and political fabric, both domestically and internationally.

"The country of Greenland is built on cooperation and the desire to cooperate based on fundamental values such as equality and respect for one another. This continues to be the core of Greenland today, also in our relations with the world outside of Greenland. We need cooperation and partnerships with like-minded countries and institutions who share our values," he added.

US President Donald Trump has expressed strong interest in acquiring Greenland as US territory, one way or another, citing its strategic location and resources, and suggested US control could benefit national security. Both Greenland and Denmark firmly rejected these overtures, emphasizing its sovereignty; polls show most Greenlanders oppose US annexation.

Nielsen praised the European Union for being a "stable, reliable and important partner" for more than 40 years, noting that their cooperation has evolved from a focus on fisheries to now include education, raw materials, energy, biodiversity, research, and climate change.

"The EU has been a steadfast friend and has stood by us when we needed it the most," he said, expressing gratitude for the bloc's support during Greenland's current challenges.

He stressed that Greenland's emerging mineral sector could play a key role in securing the EU's supply of strategic and critical raw materials, as the island holds 24 of the 34 minerals identified by the EU as critical.

Nielsen also pointed to Greenland's vast untapped hydropower potential, saying connectivity is becoming increasingly crucial in today's global economy.

"If there is one message that I hope you take from what I have said today, it is this Greenland needs the European Union and the European Union needs Greenland," he said.