Macron Visits Greenland Amid French Military Operations in Region

The President of France arrived in Greenland on a support visit and criticized Donald Trump’s intentions to seize the island, while French troops are conducting force deployment exercises in the region.

Details of the visit were published by the Associated Press.

Arriving in Greenland on June 15 for a one-day visit, Emmanuel Macron became the first head of a foreign state to visit the Arctic island since the threatening statements by the American president regarding the possible seizure of its territory.

Macron expressed concern about the situation, stating that “everyone in France and the European Union believes that Greenland cannot be sold or taken away.”

Macron’s visit was described as “a signal in itself” and was made at the request of Denmark and Greenland, his office confirmed. The visit began with discussions alongside the Prime Ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Mette Frederiksen and Jens Frederik Nielsen, aboard a Danish Navy frigate.

At a press conference, Macron chose not to engage in speculation about a potential American military invasion of Greenland or France’s readiness to respond.

“I won’t publicly entertain ‘what if’ scenarios,” he stated. “Because I firmly believe that the US, as an ally and friend, would never take aggressive action against another ally.”

French Military Presence in the Region

The increased activity of French forces in the region clearly indicates preparations for military operations: in March, France and Denmark completed the certification of A400M military transport aircraft for operations on icy runways in Greenland.

The pilots and crews of the French Air and Space Force have been training in extreme conditions, with temperatures ranging from -30 to -40°C, gaining a better understanding of operations on frozen runways in remote locations.

Also, after a five-month operation off the coast of Greenland, the French naval task group has completed its deployment this month. The group included the Surcouf frigate and the Mistral helicopter carrier.

On board the Mistral helicopter carrier were two Cougar transport helicopters, two light Gazelle helicopters, one Dauphin patrol helicopter, and an Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAV, as well as Foreign Legion landing units with 35 pieces of equipment.

The Surcouf frigate, equipped with Exocet anti-ship missiles and modern electronic warfare systems, provided anti-ship and air defense support.

The ships passed through the Prince Christian Strait, honing skills for operating in challenging conditions of drifting ice and low temperatures. The mission aimed to train French Navy officers and demonstrate presence in the strategically important region.

Earlier this year, France has reportedly held talks with Denmark about the potential deployment of troops to Greenland in response to concerns over a possible U.S. annexation of the island.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated that France “has initiated discussions [on troop deployment] with Denmark,” but noted that advancing that plan was not Denmark’s preference.

“If Denmark calls for assistance, France will be there. European borders are sovereign—whether northern, southern, eastern, or western… No one should be allowed to tamper with our borders,” he emphasized.

It is important to note that Greenland is not a member of NATO but is part of Denmark, which is a NATO member. Therefore, the Arctic island falls within the Alliance’s sphere of security interests.