00:00But let me be clear. Greenland belongs to its people. No threat or tariffs will change that. Sovereignty is not for trade.
00:13Saturday's remarks by President Trump create a situation we haven't experienced before.
00:20Our response must be to remain calm, hold our ground and act in unity.
00:26The leaders of Greenland and Denmark have been absolutely clear. The future of Greenland is for its people alone to decide.
00:36We have no interest in picking a fight, but we will hold our ground. Europe has a slate of tools to protect its interests.
00:45For years, Russia has been investing in military facilities in the high north, and China has been expanding their polar-capable vessels.
00:56Thank you, Mr. President.
01:03Honourable members, Greenland is strategically important. That is not the secret.
01:11Nearby are key submarine lanes, and beneath it are critical raw minerals that matter for the global economy.
01:19But let me be clear. Greenland belongs to its people. No threat or tariffs will change that.
01:30Sovereignty is not for trade.
01:36The European Union stands without doubt with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark in defence of their territorial integrity and sovereignty.
01:47Saturday's remarks by President Trump create a situation we haven't experienced before.
01:55Our response must be to remain calm, hold our ground and act in unity.
02:01The EU is a close and reliable partner to Greenland.
02:06Our cooperation is delivering real results, especially in education, skills and sustainable development.
02:13The European Commission has also proposed to double our financial support for Greenland in the EU's next multi-year budget.
02:24The leaders of Greenland and Denmark have been absolutely clear.
02:28The future of Greenland is for its people alone to decide.
02:33The United States, Denmark and Greenland have been engaging in direct talks.
02:39That is what responsible allies do.
02:42They talk.
02:44But the tone of these talks matters, and threats made outside of them.
02:50Let me be abundantly clear.
02:53Tariff threats will not pressure Denmark into handing over Greenland.
02:58They only risk making both Europe and the United States poorer, and undermining our shared prosperity.
03:06We have no interest in picking a fight, but we will hold our ground.
03:13Europe has a slate of tools to protect its interests.
03:18Honourable members, the Arctic is a new frontier for the geostrategic competition.
03:24As Arctic ice melts, there is a growing risk that Russia and China will keep increasing their presence across the region.
03:34For years, Russia has been investing in military facilities in the high north,
03:39and China has been expanding their polar-capable vessels.
03:44But if there are concerns about Greenland's security, NATO is well-suited to address them.
03:52Over the past week, a number of European countries have sent military personnel for scoping mission to Greenland.
04:00This presence is aimed at keeping the region safe, predictable, and stable.
04:07It poses threat to no one.
04:10Because the defence and protection of Greenland is a common concern for Europe and the entire NATO alliance.
04:18Honourable members, current developments are indeed unsettling.
04:24But allow me to still widen the perspective beyond Greenland to the Arctic as a whole.
04:31I want to thank the European Parliament for your active engagement in Arctic affairs,
04:37including for the timely AFET-INI report adopted last November.
04:42Its conclusions echo our own assessment.
04:45The Arctic has become a region of growing geostrategic importance.
04:50Climate change is transforming the Arctic faster than any other place on the planet.
04:57Melting ice is opening new routes and economic opportunities, but also create new risks.
05:04Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has reshaped the European security landscape far beyond Ukraine itself.
05:11The Arctic is not insulated from this.
05:15Russia has disrupted cross-border and regional cooperation in the high north.
05:19And intensified hybrid activities while militarising parts of the region.
05:26The ship that cut the internet cables in the Baltic Sea in December 2024 escaped through the Russian Arctic waters.
05:34Geopolitical tension and geo-economic competition in the Arctic require that the European Union,
05:41together with our partners, responds.
05:44Our response must be realistic and principled, and it must be guided by the international law.
05:52No country has the right to take over the territory of another, not in Ukraine, not in Greenland, not anywhere in the world.
06:04We are strengthening preparedness to better anticipate risks, societal resilience by protecting critical infrastructure,
06:16communities, and democratic institutions from hybrid threats,
06:20and economic security by safeguarding supply chains and preventing strategic dependencies.
06:26We are currently updating our own EU-Arctic policy to reflect those realities.
06:34Security is not only about military presence.
06:37It's all about trust.
06:39It's about stability.
06:40It's about people.
06:42As we address these new challenges,
06:44we remain guided by the priorities expressed by Greenland authorities themselves,
06:51sustainable development, social cohesion, and respect for their environment.
06:57Honourable members,
06:59the Arctic is warming three to four times faster than the global average.
07:05Climate change, environmental degradation, and security risks do not stop at borders.
07:11No country can tackle the threat like this alone.
07:16A rules-based international order and effective multilateral cooperation are essential, not optional.
07:24When Europe is united, when we are strong,
07:28we are able to defend our interests and values, including in the High North.
07:33Our Arctic engagement must reflect this reality.
07:37Firm on geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges,
07:42resolute on climate action,
07:45and centred on the people who live in the region.
07:48In this effort, we stand by Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.
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