European Union Pledges ‘Massive’ Investment in Greenland Amid Strains With Washington
EU chief von der Leyen pledged "massive" Greenland investments at Davos to counter US pressure. She warned against US tariffs, promising a united response ahead of a Thursday EU summit.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that the European Union is preparing a "massive" investment initiative for Greenland, a move intended to counter recent threats by United States President Donald Trump to acquire the autonomous Danish territory in the name of Arctic security.
Speaking to delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, von der Leyen outlined the bloc's strategic response to the rising transatlantic tensions.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), she stated, "We are working on a massive European investment surge in Greenland," although she declined to provide specific financial details regarding the proposed package at this stage.
The Commission chief framed the initiative not merely as an economic endeavor but as a critical component of regional stability. She pledged that the European Union would "work with the United States and all partners on wider Arctic security," asserting that such collaboration is "clearly in our shared interest, and we will step up our investment."
In terms of practical application, von der Leyen suggested that the European Union could leverage its current increase in defense spending to bolster its presence in the region.
She specifically mentioned the potential funding of a "European icebreaker capability and other equipment vital to the Arctic security," indicating a shift toward harder security assets in the High North.
The address also served as a platform to issue a stern warning to Washington regarding trade policy.
Von der Leyen cautioned the United States against targeting "long-standing allies" in Europe with punitive tariffs as leverage in the dispute over Greenland.
She invoked the terms of a transatlantic trade accord finalized last year to underscore the necessity of adhering to international commitments. "In politics as in business -- a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something," she told the forum.
Describing the proposed additional U.S. tariffs as a "mistake," the EU chief vowed that Europe’s response to President Trump’s repeated threats would be "unflinching, united and proportional." She argued that a trade war would be counterproductive to Western interests.
"Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape," she warned, highlighting the broader geopolitical risks of a fractured alliance.
The comments come ahead of a significant diplomatic gathering later this week. European Union leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday in Brussels for an extraordinary summit.
The primary objective of this meeting is to forge a united response to the escalation over Greenland, ensuring the bloc remains cohesive in the face of pressure from the Trump administration.