Ursula von der Leyen will visit Nuuk Sept. 6-7 to sign an EU-Greenland declaration.
Why it matters: The trip puts Arctic security, Greenland's sovereignty and critical minerals back on Brussels' agenda. It also highlights how the EU is deepening ties with Greenland as strategic competition around the island remains high.
- The European Commission says von der Leyen will meet Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Faroese Prime Minister Beinir Johannesen.
- The Commission says the visit will end with a joint EU-Greenland declaration.
- The EU says Greenland contains 25 of the 34 critical raw materials it has identified as essential for the green and digital transitions.
- Brussels says it has backed the Tusass Connect subsea cable with €54.7 million.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due in Nuuk on Sept. 6-7, where the Commission says she will sign a joint EU-Greenland declaration. The Commission announcement says she will also meet Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Faroese Prime Minister Beinir Johannesen.
The Commission says the trip is meant to underline EU support for Arctic security, stability and Greenland's sovereignty. In a Sept. 2 European Parliament exchange, Greenlandic Foreign Affairs, Business and Minerals Minister Múte Bourup Egede said Greenland's right to determine its own future is at stake.
Brussels has also tied the relationship to supply chains. The EU's Greenland page says the island has 25 of the 34 critical raw materials the bloc has identified as essential for the green and digital transitions.
Financial support is already in place. The Commission says it has backed the Tusass Connect subsea cable with €54.7 million and has proposed €530 million for Greenland in its 2025 budget proposal. It also says it is preparing a new investment package for Greenland beyond the next EU budget cycle.
By the numbers
- 25 of 34 - critical raw materials the EU says are in Greenland
- €54.7 million - EU backing for the Tusass Connect subsea cable
- €530 million - Greenland funding proposed in the Commission's 2025 budget proposal
What's next: Von der Leyen's Nuuk visit is scheduled for Sept. 6-7.