Von der Leyen in Nuuk: “New EU Arctic plan ready”

Two planes from Brussels landed in Nuuk carrying the European Union’s largest mission to Greenland since 2024. At its head was Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in the land of ice to launch a new EU package aimed at strengthening a partnership that officials in Brussels regard as crucial.

The mission is part of a broader European push into the Arctic. The breakdown in relations with Russia, China’s ambitions and Donald Trump’s arrival have exposed another vulnerability for the European Union, and perhaps for NATO as well. Brussels is now moving to respond, after what the article describes as several months of delay.

The EU plan has two stages. The first is the partnership package with Nuuk. The second is a broader Arctic strategy that the Commission plans to present in the second half of October. Growing Russian hybrid attacks have made European action more urgent, while the EU says it is ready to contribute to NATO’s defensive architecture in the Arctic.

The Barents Sea, including the stretch between Norway and the Svalbard islands, is considered particularly sensitive because of possible sabotage by the Kremlin. For the defence of what Brussels increasingly calls the “Near North,” the EU is prepared to provide funding, defensive infrastructure and coordination.

“Our current Arctic policy was adopted in 2021. The Arctic of 2026 is more complex, and our strategy must reflect this reality if Europe wants to position itself strategically,” International Partnerships Commissioner Jozef Sikela said. “The geopolitical situation in the region has changed substantially. That is why the updated strategy will also place greater emphasis on peace and security.”

The strategy is not limited to defence. The new Greenland partnership, initially expected to total €200 million, will cover connectivity, critical materials and clean energy. An Arctic summit will also take place in Rovaniemi on September 13 and 14, although von der Leyen will not attend because of the State of the Union session in Strasbourg. European Council President António Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas are due to travel to Finland.

“

Our current Arctic policy was adopted in 2021. The Arctic of 2026 is more complex, and our strategy must reflect this reality if Europe wants to position itself strategically. The geopolitical situation in the region has changed substantially. That is why the updated strategy will also place greater emphasis on peace and security.