French President Emmanuel Macron is set to embark on an official visit to Greenland on June 15, following an announcement from the Élysée on June 7. This visit aims to reinforce cooperation with the autonomous territory of Denmark, which has drawn significant interest from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Macron will be the first foreign head of state to visit Greenland since President Trump expressed intentions to annex the territory, which is rich in mineral resources and strategically located within the Arctic region.

The French president's trip comes at the invitation of Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, with whom he will hold joint discussions.

The discussions are expected to focus on security in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions, along with issues related to climate change, energy transition, and supply security of critical minerals.

The presidency highlighted that this visit is intended to strengthen ties with Greenland in these critical areas and contribute to the reinforcement of European sovereignty.

Prime Minister Frederiksen welcomed Macron's upcoming visit as a significant testament to European unity in addressing a challenging foreign policy landscape for Denmark.

Since resuming his presidency, Trump has reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland, citing its natural resources and strategic location.

His comments include a vague readiness to consider all options for acquisition, including the use of force, under the pretext of international security.

JD Vance, the U.S. Vice President, visited the U.S. military base in Pituffik, Greenland, in March, a move perceived as provocative.

Vance criticized Denmark for failing to adequately support the people of Greenland, claiming insufficient investment in the local economy and security.

In stark opposition, Denmark maintains that Greenland is 'not for sale.' In early April, Greenland's Prime Minister directly addressed the U.S. leaders, stating, 'You cannot annex another country.'

Public sentiment in Greenland appears to align with the political stance; surveys indicate that while the majority of prominent political parties support long-term independence, there is no backing for a union with the United States.

The population of around 57,000, predominantly Inuit, has shown resistance to becoming part of the U.S., according to a poll released in late January.

In a bid to counter U.S. interest, Denmark has announced a commitment of €2 billion to enhance security in the Arctic, a region of increasing strategic significance due to proximity to Russia and the U.S. Moreover, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has mentioned the potential deployment of European troops to ensure Arctic security, although he noted that such a measure is not currently on the agenda for Copenhagen.

Recently, two French Navy vessels, returning from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, have been navigating alongside Greenland as part of operations to become familiar with Arctic activities, a territory of growing strategic importance.

Greenland itself is situated on the most direct route for missile launches towards Russia.

With ongoing climate change leading to melting ice, Greenland is also poised to become a critical route for newly emerging maritime paths that could significantly shorten commercial shipping times.

Covering an area of two million square kilometers, of which 85% is glaciated, Greenland possesses vast, largely untapped reserves of minerals, including rare earth elements and undeveloped oil deposits.