Macron visits Greenland to show European support for the strategic Arctic island coveted by Trump

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Greenland is “not to be sold” nor “to be taken” in a key visit Sunday to the strategic Arctic territory coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he's conveying a message of French and European solidarity.

Macron expressed strong criticism of Trump’s intention to take control of the territory.

"In a few words: everybody in France, the European Union thinks that Greenland is not to be sold, not to be taken,” he said during a news conference, applauded by the local crowd.

"The situation in Greenland is clearly a wakeup call for all Europeans. Let me tell you very directly that you’re not alone," Macron added.

Sunday's symbolic stop to Greenland comes as the French leader is on his way to a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Canada that will be also attended by Trump.

Macron was greeted in Nuuk, the territory's capital, by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

Asked whether France would be ready to militarily support Greenland if Trump was to decide to invade, Macron declined to discuss the hypothesis.

“I won’t start elaborating on ‘what if’ scenarios publicly,” he said. “Because I don’t believe that in the end, the U.S., which is an ally and a friend, would ever do something aggressive against another ally.”

Macron in recent months has sought to reinvigorate France's role as the diplomatic and economic heavyweight of the 27-nation European Union.

The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump's threats to pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent.

On Sunday, Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen held a meeting on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France’s concerns over security issues in the region.

All three then headed to a fast-melting glacier where they watched the consequences of climate change. The visit also allowed them to discuss economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals.

“It’s a strange time for us in Greenland,” Nielsen said. “We live on some democratic principles built up for many years: respect for international law, respect for borders, respect for law of the sea, and we are glad you could stand with us to state that those principles are very very important.”

Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations.

Hegseth's comments were the latest controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration about the Arctic island. The president himself has said he won't rule out military force to take over Greenland, which he considers vital to American security in the high north.

The Wall Street Journal last month reported that several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there.

Nielsen in April said that U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland “will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.”

Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report.

French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Danish frigate F363 Niels Juel in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, left, and Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen at a glacier in Greenland, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, right, and the Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen hold a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a news conference in Nuuk, Greenland, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen are briefed by Major General, Chief of Arctic Command Soeren Andersen aboard the Danish frigate F363 Niels Juel in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, center, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, 2nd right, and Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen aboard the Danish frigate F363 Niels Juel in Nuuk, Greenland, Sunday, June 15, 2025.(Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at Nuuk Airport in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Scanpix via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at Nuuk Airport in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. The Chairman of the Naalakkersuisut, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, is hosting during the French President's visit, where Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is also participating. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Scanpix via AP)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump attend the traditional Bastille Day military parade July 14, 2017, on the Champs Elysees, in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)