Von der Leyen’s visit would come on the back of US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to take over the Arctic island, a semi-autonomous territory under Copenhagen. Trump has since walked back the threats, yet Frederiksen maintains that Trump’s wish to take over the island is ‘intact’.

As soon as possible

Representatives of the Danish prime minister’s office and the Greenlandic government declined to comment.

Frederiksen remains in office in a caretaker capacity and is leading coalition talks in Copenhagen to build a centre-left government after the Danish election produced a fragmented legislature. It remains unclear how long it will take to form a government, or whether she will ultimately remain in power.

During the visit von der Leyen is expected to meet with Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen among other local officials. Since 2009, Greenland has had ‘self-rule’ giving the local government large discretions over the island’s governance while security and defence remain a prerogative of Copenhagen.

Von der Leyen last visited Greenland in March 2024 to inaugurate the Commission’s office in the capital, Nuuk, alongside Frederiksen.

Her itinerary had also included a stop in Iceland. Iceland has recently refreshed its bid to join the bloc. Kristrún Frostadóttir, the country’s social democratic prime minister, announced a referendum on continuing Iceland’s stalled accession negotiations on 29 August. That visit has also been postponed.

It is unclear whether the visits would still be coupled.

Twice the budget