French President Maqueron arrived in the Danish territory of Greenland Monday, on his way to Canada for the group of 7 Summit, AFP reported Thursday. Radio France Internationale said that although Maqueron had only been in Greenland for a few hours, the purpose of his visit was clear — to show solidarity with the island’s sovereignty and European solidarity.
French President Maqueron
Maqueron reportedly reviewed Danish troops and visited a Danish frigate before meeting with Danish and Greenland leaders. Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, welcomed the “Concrete manifestation of European solidarity”. “I am here to express French and European Union solidarity with the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greenland,” Maqueron said, at a press conference in Nuuk with Frederiksen and Nelson, Prime Minister of the Greenland Home Rule Government, “Greenland is up against ambitious people,” says Maqueron. Both the French and the European Union believe that Greenland can not be sold and can not be taken away,” Maqueron said, calling the idea of Greenland being annexed by the United States a “Crazy” one, it also proposed to hold joint exercises with Baltic States countries, Nordic countries and Canada in the Arctic region. Maqueron said he opposed President Donald Trump’s attempt to annex Greenland, “Which is not something that should be done between allies”. Asked whether the French were prepared to support the island militarily if Donald Trump decided to “Take action” against it, Maqueron declined to discuss that hypothesis.
Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has reportedly repeatedly expressed a strong desire to seize control of Greenland, even claiming not to rule out taking control of the island through “Military or economic coercion”. Greenland is rich in natural resources, especially large amounts of proven rare earth minerals and potential oil reserves. As the ice melts, the island becomes increasingly valuable for Arctic shipping routes and geostrategic development.