By Xie Hao
谢 浩
French President Emmanuel Macron on June 15 visited Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, becoming the first foreign leader to visit the island since Donald Trump began his campaign to buy or annex Greenland after his re-election as the US President.
当地时间6月15日，法国总统马克龙访问丹麦自治领地格陵兰岛，成为自特朗普再次就任美国总统并威胁“吞并”格陵兰岛以来，第一位踏上格陵兰岛的外国元首。
On his way to the G7 Summit in Canada, French President Emmanuel Macron made a brief stopover in Greenland, voicing EU and French support for the Danish autonomous territory, a move widely seen as a clear geopolitical message to the US. After Donald Trump took office as US President, he continued to exert pressure on Greenland and even threatened to annex the island by force. The brief and timely visit of Emmanuel Macron to Greenland carried threefold strategic considerations.
马克龙是在前往加拿大参加七国集团峰会的途中短暂访问格陵兰岛的。访问期间，马克龙表达了法国和欧盟对丹麦这片自治领地的支持，并对美国发出清晰信号。特朗普就任美国总统后，持续向格陵兰岛施压，并扬言不排除动用武力“吞并”格陵兰岛。马克龙在敏感时刻对格陵兰岛进行“快闪式”访问，有着三重战略考量。
First, the visit aimed to bolster France's leadership in advancing European strategic autonomy. Since Donald Trump returned to office, the urgency for European strategic autonomy has markedly increased. In response, France has continued to promote the development of European defense autonomy capabilities, sought to strengthen its leadership role in EU foreign and economic affairs, and advocated for reducing strategic reliance on the US. As the US steps up its presence in the Arctic, Macron's visit to Greenland on the eve of the G7 Summit and his public expression of support served as a clear rebuke to Donald Trump's push for annexing the island. It reflects France's political ambition to assert strategic autonomy in Arctic geopolitics and to promote a united and self-reliant Europe.
首先，马克龙此访旨在提升法国在欧洲战略自主进程中的引领地位。特朗普再次上任以来，欧洲战略自主的紧迫性显著增强。为此，法国持续推进欧洲防务自主能力建设，致力于强化自身在欧盟外交与经济事务中的主导作用，并主张减少对美国的战略依赖。在美国强化北极存在之际，马克龙于七国集团峰会前夕对格陵兰岛进行访问并公开声援，明确反对特朗普“吞并”格陵兰岛，展现出法国在北极地缘博弈中寻求战略自主、推动欧洲联合自强的政治抱负。
Second, the visit aimed to advance strategic cooperation between the EU and Greenland, serving as a bridge for the future development of bilateral ties. Greenland holds abundant reserves of rare earths and other critical minerals and sits at a key node along Arctic shipping routes, which are the reasons for the US interest in the island. Amid mounting pressure from the US, Greenland is eager to strengthen its autonomy by deepening its special partnership with the EU. In May, Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt expressed a desire to enhance the island's "bilateral" ties with the EU and identified mineral resources as a key area for cooperation. For the EU, there is also a strong need to deepen cooperation with Greenland in areas such as economic development, low-carbon energy transition, and critical mineral supply. The visit marks a significant step toward aligning the strategic interests of the EU and Greenland. It not only offers Greenland external support but also creates an opportunity for the EU to expand its strategic presence in the Arctic, laying the groundwork for future practical cooperation.
其次，马克龙此行旨在推动欧盟与格陵兰岛的战略合作，为双方关系发展搭建桥梁。格陵兰岛蕴藏丰富的稀土等矿产资源，且占据北极航道关键节点，这正是美国觊觎该岛的主要原因。当前，格陵兰岛在面临美国施压的背景下，亟需通过深化与欧盟的特殊伙伴关系来增强自主能力。格陵兰岛外交部长薇薇安·莫茨费尔特5月曾表示，希望深化与欧盟的“双边”关系，并将格陵兰岛的矿产资源列为合作领域。对欧盟而言，同样需要与格陵兰岛加强在经济发展、低碳能源转型和关键矿产方面的合作。马克龙此访是欧格战略利益“双向奔赴”的重要标志，既为格陵兰岛提供支点，又为欧盟拓展北极战略纵深创造机遇，奠定了双方后续务实合作的基础。
Third, the visit was also aimed at reinforcing France's influence in Arctic security affairs. As global warming accelerates glacial melt in the Arctic, the region's strategic importance, especially in terms of emerging sea routes, has been steadily rising, making it a key arena of international strategic competition. During the visit, Macron boarded a Danish naval frigate, underscoring the military and strategic dimension of his trip. Notably, Macron formally proposed holding joint military exercises in the Arctic with partners such as the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and Canada. This initiative aims to strengthen the security of Greenland and signals France's intent to actively promote Greenland's shift from a transatlantic security framework toward integration into a European defense architecture.
第三，马克龙此行着重强化法国在北极地区防务中的影响力。随着全球气候变暖加速北极冰川消融，北极航道的战略价值持续攀升，已成为国际战略竞争的重要焦点。访问期间，马克龙登临丹麦海军护卫舰，凸显此访的军事战略意图。值得关注的是，马克龙正式提出在北极地区与波罗的海国家、北欧国家及加拿大等伙伴开展联合军事演习的倡议，以加强格陵兰岛的安全，彰显法国正积极推动格陵兰岛由跨大西洋安全体系转而进入欧洲的防务体系。
At present, momentous changes of a like not seen in a century are accelerating across the world. Europe and the US are transitioning from partners with shared interests to competitors, and the contest over Greenland essentially reflects this broader strategic rivalry between them. Greenland itself is relatively weak and cannot remain neutral amid the intense competition between Europe and the US. Faced with the increasingly aggressive stance of the US, deepening cooperation with Europe has become a necessary choice for Greenland. Europe's accelerated strategic decoupling from the US has become an unavoidable move. It is an inevitable measure for Europe to prevent Greenland from falling under US control to safeguard its own strategic interests.
当前，世界百年变局加速演进，欧美正由利益关联方变为竞争方，对格陵兰岛的争夺实质上是欧美之间战略博弈的缩影。格陵兰岛自身实力薄弱，在欧美战略博弈中难以独善其身。面对美国咄咄逼人的姿态，加强与欧洲合作已成为格陵兰岛不得不做出的抉择。而欧洲加速与美实施战略分离也成为当下不得不走的一步棋，不让格陵兰岛落入美国手中是欧洲维护自身战略利益的必然之举。
Although the visit was brief, the signals it sent were very clear. His open challenge to the US highlighted the deepening rift within the Western world, while Donald Trump's determination to claim Greenland is set to further intensify the strategic tensions between the US and Europe. Following Macron's lead, more European countries are likely to view Greenland as a key focus for advancing strategic autonomy. Under this circumstance, Greenland's reintegration into the EU may be put on the agenda.
马克龙此访时间虽短，透露出的信号却十分明确。特别是与美国的公开叫板，凸显了西方世界的裂痕正不断扩大，而特朗普对格陵兰岛的必得之心也将加剧美国与欧洲的战略矛盾。在马克龙的示范下，欧洲越来越多的国家或将把格陵兰岛作为推进战略自主的着力点，格陵兰岛重返欧盟也可能在此形势下被提上日程。
(The author is from China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.)
（作者单位：中国现代国际关系研究院）
