Europe's defence investments: A safeguard for Greenland's integrity
During her visit to Denmark, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her support for Greenland's integrity and announced an increase in investments in Europe's defence.
During her visit to Copenhagen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her support for Greenland's integrity and emphasized that Europe will always protect this region's independence.
During a speech at the Royal Danish Military Academy, the EC President assured the people of Greenland and Denmark that Europe remains committed to defending independence and territorial integrity.
Investments in Europe's defence as a guarantee of Greenland's security
In her address, von der Leyen also focused on increasing investments in European defence. If Europe wants to avoid war, it must prepare for it, she said to the cadets, recalling that the time of the "peace dividend" is over. Following Denmark's example, she urged EU countries to accelerate investments in the military, which established a special fund worth nearly $9.8 billion CAD for arms purchases.
Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of increasing funds and spending them effectively. She appealed to buy more European equipment, as this strengthened the foundation of European defence technology.
During her visit to Copenhagen, von der Leyen met with Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen. Denmark will take over the European Council presidency from Poland on July 1st. The EC President's visit was to discuss future actions in defence and European cooperation.
The EC President's words about Greenland's integrity and security are related to remarks made by Donald Trump. The U.S. President announced the intention to annex Greenland to the USA with the help of NATO. Greenland's Prime Minister, Múte B. Egede, expressed outrage, emphasizing that the island is not for sale and that the residents will decide their future.
The Democrats won the parliamentary elections in Greenland. The party advocates for the island's independence, but only after achieving economic independence. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the party leader, considered Trump's remarks inappropriate.
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has hosted a U.S. military base since 1951. Pituffik Space Base, commonly known by its former name Thule Air Base, is located in the northwestern part of the island, near Qaanaaq, about 1,200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.
