 "European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen delivers the keynote speech at the second Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling in Brussels, Belgium, on December 10, 2025. (Photo: Yves Herman/Reuters)")
European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday extended “full solidarity” to Denmark as US President Donald Trump intensified his campaign to annex the island of Greenland.
After Trump announced the appointment of a special envoy to Greenland to oversee the island’s annexation, von der Leyen said the security of the Arctic region remained a key priority for the EU and that territorial integrity and sovereignty formed the basis of international law.
“Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. These principles are essential not only for the European Union, but for nations around the world. We stand in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland,” von der Leyen said.
Trump’s appointment of a special envoy for Greenland sparked fury in Denmark, prompting the government to announce it would summon the US ambassador and convey its “deep anger”.
In a thinly veiled message to the Trump administration, EU foreign minister Kaja Kallas said all partners ought to respect territorial integrity.
“Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark. Any changes to that status are for Greenlanders and Danes alone to decide. We expect all our partners to respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity and to abide by their international commitments, enshrined inter alia in the United Nations Charter and the North Atlantic Treaty,” said Kallas.
Earlier on Monday, Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as Special Envoy to Greenland. Following the announcement, Landry made it clear that the island’s annexation would be his agenda.
“Thank you, Donald Trump! It’s an honour to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S. This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!” Landry said on X.
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The appointment of an envoy or special envoy to a province or region is almost unheard of in international relations and is bound to spark outrage and derail diplomatic ties. The context here makes it even more controversial.
Normally, a sub-national appointment would be seen as blatant interference in a country’s internal affairs as envoys are appointed either for a nation or multilateral organisations or specific causes. In this case, Trump’s appointment of a special envoy to Greenland is aimed at violating the kingdom’s territorial integrity and sovereignty — as Landry himself stated.
Soon after winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump announced he would annex Greenland and threatened Denmark —a NATO ally— with an invasion if the country’s leadership would not surrender the island to the United States.
In addition to Greenland, Trump has also vowed to annex the Panama Canal, the Gaza Strip, and the nation of Canada at various points. In the cases of the Panama Canal and Greenland, Trump repeatedly threatened invasions .