Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to visit Greenland to stress unity

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is set to visit Greenland from April 2 to April 4, 2025, in a move aimed at reinforcing ties between Denmark and Greenland, the office of the prime minister has announced.

During her visit, she will meet with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the incoming chairman of Naalakkersuisut, Greenland’s government, to discuss continued cooperation and political relations between the two nations.

“I look forward to continuing the close and trusting cooperation between Greenland and Denmark together with Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the rest of the Greenland Government,” said Frederiksen. “Greenland has just gone through a good democratic process and formed a broad government. It is important for me to visit and greet the incoming chairman of the Greenland Government as soon as possible.”

Frederiksen’s visit comes amid heightened geopolitical interest in Greenland.

US Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, recently visited the U.S. Space Force‘s Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. This visit sparked controversy, as it was planned without consulting Greenlandic and Danish authorities, leading to diplomatic tensions.

Vance criticized Denmark for underinvesting in Greenland’s security and suggested that Greenland should consider closer ties with the United States.

Danish officials have rejected these claims, emphasizing their commitment to Greenland’s defense and sovereignty.

“I have the deepest respect for how the Greenlandic people and Greenlandic politicians are handling the great pressure on Greenland,” Frederiksen added. “It is a situation that calls for unity across political parties. Across the countries in the Commonwealth. And for cooperation in a respectful and equal manner.”

Frederiksen will also meet with other members of Naalakkersuisut. Her visit underscores the Danish government’s interest in maintaining strong cooperation with Greenland’s leadership. The trip is expected to reaffirm Denmark’s ongoing relationship with Greenland while addressing recent political developments and strengthening unity with Greenland, as emphasized in the visit’s official announcement.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, having gained self-rule in 1979 and expanded autonomy in 2009. While Denmark retains control over defense, foreign affairs and monetary policy, Greenland manages its own domestic affairs, including education, health and natural resources. The relationship between Denmark and Greenland is shaped by historical ties, economic support from Copenhagen and ongoing discussions about Greenland’s future political status.

Featured photo: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. It is an extracted version of a photo (here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/number10gov/54306334887/) that is dated 04/02/2025 and shows British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen for a bilateral at 10 Downing Street, London United Kingdom. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.