French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, January 28th, that tensions with the U.S. over Greenland amounted to a “strategic wake-up call for all of Europe,” as he stood alongside the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in a show of unity.
Macron, who had invited Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen to Paris for talks focused on Arctic security and Greenland’s long-term development, argued at a joint press conference that Europe must strengthen its sovereignty and step up efforts against climate change. He reaffirmed France’s commitment to Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that these principles would be defended under the UN Charter and through stronger NATO engagement in the Arctic.
Mette Frederiksen echoed Macron’s call for urgency, warning earlier in Paris that Europe must improve its defences immediately.
While acknowledging that Europe currently relies heavily on U.S. intelligence and nuclear capabilities, she said waiting until long-term targets such as 2035 to rearm would be too late, calling past cuts to military spending a major mistake.
