According to Reuters, on Wednesday, January 7, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that France is actively working with partners on a plan to respond should the United States act on its threat to take over Greenland. Barrot said the subject would be raised at his meeting later that same day with the foreign ministers of Germany and Poland. This follows a White House statement from Tuesday, January 6, confirming that President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including the potential use of the U.S. military. This revival of Trump’s ambition comes despite known European objections to the idea.
A geopolitical contingency plan
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just a diplomatic note. The fact that France is openly admitting to crafting a specific “plan” with allies like Germany and Poland signals a shift. We’re moving from treating Trump’s Greenland fascination as a bizarre sidebar to treating it as a genuine, actionable geopolitical contingency. And that’s significant. It means European capitals are no longer just rolling their eyes; they’re running scenarios and coordinating responses. Basically, they’re taking the threat seriously enough to do their homework.
Why this matters now
So why is this bubbling up again? Look, Greenland is a massive piece of real estate with huge strategic value in the Arctic, an area becoming increasingly contested as ice recedes. It’s about resources, shipping lanes, and military positioning. The White House mentioning “potential use of the U.S. military” as an option is the kind of language that forces allies to pay attention. It transforms a real estate deal into a security issue overnight. Now, do I think a military takeover is likely? Probably not in any conventional sense. But even floating the idea destabilizes alliances and forces Europe to consider unthinkable scenarios.
The alliance strain is real
And that’s the real impact here. This isn’t really about Greenland’s 56,000 inhabitants or its vast icy landscape. It’s about the continued strain on the transatlantic alliance. When France, Germany, and Poland have to huddle to plan for an aggressive move by the United States, the foundational trust is cracked. It puts Denmark, which governs Greenland’s foreign and defense policy, in an impossible position. Are they preparing a plan, too? You’d have to assume so. The entire episode feels like another stress test on the post-WWII order, and the allies are quietly getting their ducks in a row just in case. A stable geopolitical environment relies on predictable partnerships, not surprise land-grab discussions from your closest ally. This planning session in Paris is a quiet but stark admission of that new, uncomfortable reality.
