Greenland welcomes major funding boost from EU amid Trump’s annexation threats

… </script></div></div></div><div class="PageBuilder-containerWidth100 PageBuilder-pageRow"><div class="PageBuilder-col-full PageBuilder-col PageBuilder-article"><div id="RegularArticle-ArticleHeader-2" data-test="articleHeader-0" data-analytics="RegularArticle-articleHeader-2-0"><header class="ArticleHeader-articleHeader" id="main-article-header"><div class="ArticleHeader-headerContentContainer" data-header-content-container="true"><div class="ArticleHeader-wrapperHeroNoImage ArticleHeader-wrapperHero ArticleHeader-wrapper ArticleHeader-wrapperNoImage"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/politics/" class="ArticleHeader-eyebrow">Politics &amp; Policy</a><div><h1 class="ArticleHeader-headline">Greenland welcomes major funding boost from EU amid Trump’s annexation threats</h1></div><div class="ArticleHeader-timeHidden"><time data-testid="published-timestamp" dateTime="2026-09-07T13:09:36+0000" itemProp="datePublished">Published Mon, Sep 7 2026<span class="ArticleHeader-datetimeDivider"></span>9:09 AM EDT</time></div></div><div class="ArticleHeader-authorAndShareInline"><div class="ArticleHeader-authorContainer ArticleHeader-authorContainerWithWatchLive"><div class="ArticleHeader-author"><div class="Author-author"><div class="Author-authorInfo"><img class="Author-authorPortrait" style="border:0" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/108177746-1753710874992-Sam_Meredith-53.jpg?v=1753710906&amp;w=60&amp;h=60&amp;ffmt=webp" alt="thumbnail"/><div class="Author-authorNameAndSocial"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/sam-meredith/" class="Author-authorName">Sam Meredith<span class="Author-authorUnderline"></span></a><a href="https://linkedin.com/in/samuelmeredith" class="Author-authorTwitter" target="_blank">@in/samuelmeredith</a><a href="https://twitter.com/@smeredith19" class="Author-authorTwitter" target="_blank">@smeredith19</a></div></div></div></div></div><span><a href="/live-tv/" class="WatchLive-container">WATCH LIVE</a></span></div></div></header></div></div></div><div class="PageBuilder-containerFluidWidths PageBuilder-pageRow"><div class="PageBuilder-col-9 PageBuilder-col PageBuilder-article"><div class="RenderKeyPoints-keyPoints" id="RegularArticle-KeyPoints-4" data-test="keyPoints-1" data-analytics="RegularArticle-keyPoints-4-1"><div class="RenderKeyPoints-wrapper"><div class="RenderKeyPoints-header">Key Points</div><div class="RenderKeyPoints-list"><div><div class="group"><ul><li>The EU is committing €200 million to Greenland, targeting connectivity, clean energy and critical raw materials.</li><li>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe stands firmly with Greenland as Trump renews his push for U.S. control of the territory.</li><li>Denmark says it wants closer cooperation with both the U.S. and European allies on Arctic security and defense.</li></ul></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ArticleBody-articleBody" id="RegularArticle-ArticleBody-5" data-module="ArticleBody" data-test="articleBody-2" data-analytics="RegularArticle-articleBody-5-2"><span class="HighlightShare-hidden" style="top:0;left:0"></span><div class="InlineImage-imageEmbed" id="ArticleBody-InlineImage-108359457" data-test="InlineImage"><div class="InlineImage-wrapper"><div class="InlineImage-imagePlaceholder" style="padding-bottom:55.55555555555556%"><div style="height:100%" class="lazyload-placeholder"></div></div><div><div class="InlineImage-imageEmbedCaption">European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R), Greenland&#x27;s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) and Denmark&#x27;s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visit Qoornoq, an abandoned settlement on the island of Qaarusuup Nunaa, also called &#x27;Bear Island&#x27;, Greenland on September 6, 2026.</div><div class="InlineImage-imageEmbedCredit">Mads Claus Rasmussen | Afp | Getty Images</div></div></div></div><div class="group"><p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_26_1804" target="_blank">announced</a> a fresh funding boost for Greenland, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/05/eu-greenland-von-der-leyen-trump-arctic.html">seeking to shore up Arctic ties</a> with the self-governing Danish territory amid U.S. President <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/donald-trump/">Donald Trump</a>&#x27;s annexation drive.</p><p>Speaking alongside Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the EU chief said the 200-million-euro ($232.3 million) funding package reflects &quot;a clear choice&quot; by Greenland to strengthen ties with the 27-nation bloc. </p><div style="height:100%" class="lazyload-placeholder"></div><p>&quot;This partnership package focuses mainly on three domains, or strategic priorities. We call them the big Cs: connectivity, clean energy [and] critical raw materials,&quot; Von der Leyen told reporters at a news conference. </p><p>The funds, which is to be invested this year and in 2027, is designed to bolster ties between the EU and the Arctic, with Von der Leyen describing Greenland as &quot;a strategic ally and a trusted friend.&quot; </p><p>It comes shortly after Icelanders <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/30/iceland-eu-accession-referendum-result.html">voted to reject</a> restarting EU membership negotiations and as Trump <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/trump-greenland-takeover-threats-tariffs-naaja-nathanielsen.html">renews his push to</a> acquire Greenland on national security grounds.</p><p>&quot;The European Union continues to be, not only an important partner for Greenland, but also a loyal and trusted friend,&quot; Greenland&#x27;s Nielsen said. </p><p>&quot;Through these challenging times, your support to us is unfailing. You have stood by us and continue to stand by us. We feel it and are deeply grateful. Thank you,&quot; he added. </p><div style="height:100%" class="lazyload-placeholder"></div><p>Asked whether they had any concerns about how Trump may react to the funding package and what message he should take from the announcement, Denmark&#x27;s Frederiksen said: &quot;We have been under pressure and it has been very clear, and we are very thankful for the great support that we have received from our European partners — but, by the way, also globally.&quot;</p><p>Frederiksen insisted that Denmark would like to work closely together with the U.S. on issues such as security and defense, &quot;but we, of course, would also like to work even closer together with our European allies and that is exactly what we are doing in the Arctic region now.&quot;</p></div><div role="region" aria-labelledby="Placeholder-ArticleBody-Video-108264872"><div role="button" tabindex="0" id="Placeholder-ArticleBody-Video-108264872" class="PlaceHolder-wrapper" data-vilynx-id="7000403662" data-test="VideoPlaceHolder"><div class="InlineVideo-videoEmbed" id="InlineVideo-0" data-test="InlineVideo"><div class="InlineVideo-wrapper"><div class="InlineVideo-inlineThumbnailContainer"><img class="InlineVideo-videoThumbnail" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/108264875-Thumbnail_Explain_Greenland_V8_clean.jpg?v=1770893706&amp;w=750&amp;h=422&amp;vtcrop=y" alt="Greenland has critical minerals. So why isn’t it rich?"/><span class="InlineVideo-videoButton"></span><span><div class="undefined PlayButton-container" data-test="PlayButton"><div class="PlayButton-featured PlayButton-base" data-type="play"><span class="PlayButton-suppressFlyout PlayButton-flyout">watch now</span><span class="icon-play-triangle PlayButton-icon"></span></div></div></span></div><div class="InlineVideo-videoFooter"><div class="InlineVideo-videoDurationContainer"><span class="InlineVideo-videoLabel">VIDEO</span><span class="InlineVideo-videoDurationWithLeading0">14:10</span><span class="InlineVideo-videoDuration InlineVideo-videoLabel">14:10</span></div><div class="InlineVideo-title">Greenland has critical minerals. So why isn’t it rich?</div><div class="InlineVideo-section"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/cnbc-explains/">CNBC Explains</a></div></div></div></div><div class="PlaceHolder-endCard PlaceHolder-inactive "></div></div></div><div class="group"><p>The EU&#x27;s Von der Leyen said Greenland &quot;stood firm and stands firm under enormous pressure,&quot; in an apparent reference to Trump&#x27;s pursuit of U.S. control of the territory. &quot;Europe is firmly united with you too. This is the basic message,&quot; she added.</p><p>Trump has long advocated for control of Greenland, a vast, sparsely populated and largely frozen island, but the U.S. president&#x27;s fixation on the territory became a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/07/why-trump-wants-greenland-and-what-makes-it-so-important-for-security.html">major trans-Atlantic issue</a> at the start of the year.</p><p>Trump, who had refused to rule out the use of military force to annex Greenland, abruptly <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/21/trump-tariffs-nato-greenland-davos.html">announced</a> in late January, however, that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had formed a &quot;framework of a future deal&quot; with respect to the territory.</p><p>A working group of representatives from the U.S., Denmark and Greenland have since been meeting to discuss the way forward.</p></div><div id="ArticleBody-MobileAdhesion" class="MobileAdhesion-container" data-module="mps-slot"></div><div class="ArticleBody-googlePreferredSourceContainer" data-module="GooglePreferredSource" data-id="RegularArticle-GooglePreferredSource-5"><div class="ArticleBody-googlePreferredSourceBorder"></div><a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.cnbc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.</a></div></div></div><div class="SidebarArticle-sidebar PageBuilder-sidebar" data-test="SidebarArticle"><div class="SidebarArticle-sticky" style="top:70px"><div></div><div></div><div style="margin-top:0px"></div><div><div style="height:100%" class="lazyload-placeholder"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="PageBuilder-containerFluidWidths PageBuilder-pageRow"><div class="PageBuilder-col-9 PageBuilder-col PageBuilder-article"></div></div><div class="PageBuilder-containerFluidWidths PageBuilder-pageRow"><div class="PageBuilder-col-12 PageBuilder-col PageBuilder-article"><div style="height:100%" class="lazyload-placeholder"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="MobileAdhesion-Homepage" class="MobileAdhesion-container" data-module="mps-slot"></div><footer id="GlobalFooter" class="CNBCFooter-footer" data-mini-video-player-dont-scroll-beyond-here="true" data-test="GlobalFooter" data-analytics="RegularArticle-GlobalFooter"><div class="CNBCFooter-wrapper"><div><a href="//www.cnbc.com" class="CNBCFooter-logo" target="_self"><img src="https://static-redesign.cnbcfm.com/dist/d6085c9e81f4d7365c8d.svg" class="CNBCFooter-logoImg CNBCFooter-versantLogo" alt="CNBC logo"/></a></div><ul class="CNBCFooter-social"><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cnbc/" class="icon-social_facebook" target="_blank" aria-label="facebook"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://www.twitter.com/cnbc/" class="icon-social_twitter" target="_blank" aria-label="twitter"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/cnbc/" class="icon-social_linkedin" target="_blank" aria-label="linkedin"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/cnbc/" class="icon-social_instagram" target="_blank" aria-label="instagram"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/cnbc/" class="icon-social_youtube" target="_blank" aria-label="youtube"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="https://apple.news/T3OtoXcxtRkuHRkM7SpFP_Q" class="icon-social_apple_news" target="_blank" aria-label="apple_news"></a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-socialItem"><a href="/rss-feeds/" class="icon-social_rss" target="_blank" aria-label="rss"></a></li></ul><div class="CNBCFooter-border"></div><ul class="CNBCFooter-list"><li class="CNBCFooter-listItem"><a href="/application/pro/?__source=pro|globalfooter" target="_self">Subscribe to CNBC PRO</a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-listItem"><a href="/investingclub/subscribe?__source=investingclub|globalfooter" target="_self">Subscribe to Investing Club</a></li><li class="CNBCFooter-listItem"><a href="/cnbc-reprints/" target="_self">Licensing &amp; 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