“What is clear is that Greenland can count on us politically, economically and financially,” von der Leyen told reporters in the Port of Limassol on Thursday, where European commissioners held talks with Cypriot officials and politicians including President Nikos Christodoulides. Cyprus assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on Jan. 1.
Von der Leyen underscored Europe’s economic commitment to the Arctic, noting that the EU intended to double financial support to Greenland in its next seven-year budget. She said Brussels and Nuuk, the island’s capital, “are discussing investments” in the territory and “we’re doubling down on these investments.”
“The discussions on Arctic security are, first and foremost, a core issue of NATO. But I also want to emphasize that … both topics are core topics for the European Union and matter enormously for us,” she said.