- French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Greenland, Antarctica and the high seas are “not for sale” – directly opposing Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland. He framed this as a defense of international law and environmental protection.
- Macron condemned U.S. plans to fast-track deep-sea mining, calling it “madness” for threatening biodiversity. He urged a moratorium, aligning with ongoing UN negotiations on seabed exploitation.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres backed Macron, warning against unregulated ocean exploitation. Macron also highlighted the High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect marine biodiversity, as a “done deal” with broad international support.
- Greenland’s rare earth minerals and strategic Arctic location fuel global competition. Denmark insists Greenland’s future rests with its people, while Trump has touted economic incentives for potential U.S. integration.
- The dispute reflects broader conflicts over sovereignty and resources. Macron’s upcoming Greenland visit signals France’s focus on Arctic security and climate cooperation, setting the stage for further geopolitical clashes.
French President Emmanuel Macron has stressed that Greenland – alongside Antarctica and the high seas – is “not for sale,” a clear jab at U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for the Danish territory.
The French leader delivered the sharp rebuke Monday, June 10, during the opening of the United Nations Conference in the southeastern French city of Nice. Macron framed his remarks as a defense of international law and environmental protection, directly countering Trump’s long-standing ambitions to expand U.S. influence in the resource-rich Arctic.
“The abyss is not for sale, and neither is Greenland, nor is Antarctica or the high seas,” he told world leaders. Macron also touched on Washington’s plan to fast-track deep-sea mining in international waters. Such a move would bypass ongoing negotiations at the International Seabed Authority, which is set to finalize a global mining code next month.
“I think it’s madness to launch predatory economic action that will disrupt the deep seabed, disrupt biodiversity [and] destroy it,” he continued. “The moratorium on deep-seabed exploitation is an international necessity.”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who graced the conference’s opening, concurred with Macron’s statements. He warned that the world could not let the world’s oceans “become the wild west.”
Macron’s upcoming visit to Greenland on Sunday, June 15, will focus on Arctic security and climate cooperation, signaling Paris’ commitment to multilateral solutions. His stance aligns with the newly ratified High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect marine biodiversity in international waters. With 50 nations already onboard and 15 more pledging support, Macron declared the treaty’s implementation “a done deal.”
Macron vs. Trump: The Arctic power struggle begins
The dispute over Greenland is not merely a diplomatic spat, but reflects deeper tensions over sovereignty and resource competition. Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, holds vast deposits of rare earth minerals critical for renewable energy and defense technologies. Its melting ice sheets have opened new shipping routes and oil exploration opportunities. (Related: Greenland’s strategic riches: The new Cold War frontier as U.S. and China vie for Arctic dominance.)
Copenhagen has repeatedly stated that any decision on Greenland’s future rests with its people, not foreign powers. Meanwhile, Trump has openly discussed the strategic and economic benefits of bringing Greenland under U.S. control.
“We strongly support your right to determine your own future,” Trump said during a joint address to Congress earlier this month. “And, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”
His remarks emphasized Greenland’s importance for national and international security. But aside from words, the second Trump administration has reportedly explored financial incentives. These include offering more than Denmark’s annual $600 million subsidy to the autonomous territory, to sway Greenlanders toward joining the United States.
The debate over Greenland and deep-sea mining also underscores a growing divide between nations. Macron’s challenge to Trump’s ambitions may be just the opening salvo in a much larger struggle.
For now, Greenland remains firmly off the market. But as global powers jockey for influence in the rapidly changing Arctic, the question of who gets to decide its future is far from settled.
NationalSecurity.news has more similar stories.
Watch this clip of President Donald Trump insisting that Washington’s takeover of Greenland “will happen.”
This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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