A French top officer condemned the “brutalization” of the world through “big forces” in his journey to Greenland during the weekend in an apparent shot with President Donald Trump and his ambitions in the Arctic.
In comments from the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot from the capital of Nuuk, he said on Sunday that his visit was a show of “solidarity” and reminded international super powers that Greenland “not for grabbing” or “for sale”.
“The certainty of peace, prosperity and democracy is all questioned by the revival of new rich who want to replace the logic of cooperation with the logic of coercion,” said Barrot. “This brutalization of the world can even be seen in the Artic.”
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures while on June 15, 2025 he is on the Glacier Mont Nunatarsuaq during a visit in Greenland. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty images)
Denmark calls on the American envoy because of alleged secret Greenland Interference Operations
Barrot, who visited a French military ship that was moored in Nuuk, also confirmed that French officials return to Greenland in the fall to start ironing a new critical mineral deal in May when Nuuk granted a Danish-French consortium a 30-minute deal for the extraction of anorthosite for aluminium.
While Barrot immediately called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, he did not mention Trump or did not mention the US as a major threat to European territory. Although his comments came only three days after Denmark had summoned the most important envoy of the US after reports claimed that people close to the president had reportedly carried out secret influence activities in Greenland.
Trump has had to deal with widespread conviction about his ambitions in Greenland – which is an autonomous area within the Kingdom of Denmark – and has refused to exclude military intervention to “acquire” the Arctic nation, of which he claims that it is strategically important for safety reasons.
Locator map of the Northern Ice Sea folder. (Encyclopedia Britannica/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
From Gaza to Greenland, Macron breaks with Trump on global flash points
“The greatness of a nation cannot be rebuilt with the service of his neighbors or allies,” said Barrot. “The greatness of a nation is measured on the basis of the contribution to the freedom of the world.”
In particular, France came to the defense of the Arctic island, in which French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Greenland in June, where he criticized Trump’s threats and not only in Paris, but also in Europe, that the “territory integrity of the island must be respected”.
Despite the international push back, Trump does not seem to be put off in his desire to “acquire” Greenland and according to a senior official, “The president believes that Greenland is a strategically important location and is convinced that Groenlanders are better served if they are protected by the United States against modern threats in the Arctic region region.
“President Trump strives for establishing peace in the long term at home and abroad,” the official added.
French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Danish Premier Mette Frederiksen (2R) and Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen (2L) of Greenland are informed by Majoor-General in the Danish defense, and head of the Joint Arctic Soren Anderen Juard F363, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty images)
Click here to get the Fox News app
Barrot said his “Visit send a message: Greenland and Denmark are not alone – Europe and France are on their side today and tomorrow.
“Greenland is an arctic area, it is a European area. We belong to the same family,” he added.
