🇬🇱 🇪🇺 STATEMENT | COMECE Presidency expresses solidarity with the people of Greenland

The Presidency of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) issued a statement on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, expressing its solidarity and spiritual closeness with Greenland and its people in the context of growing geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing discussions regarding its future. Read the Statement: EN | DK | IT | FR | SK | ES | PT

At a time marked by renewed international attention to the Arctic region and sensitive negotiations affecting Greenland’s political, social and environmental future, the COMECE Presidency, led by H.E. Mgr Mariano Crociata, underlined the fundamental principle that the destiny of Greenland must be shaped by its own people.

“The future of Greenland must be decided by the people of Greenland themselves, in full respect of their rights, dignity and aspirations”, the statement affirms, while also recalling the importance of upholding international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The COMECE Presidency expressed concern about the broader international climate in which these discussions are taking place, characterised by increasing geopolitical tensions and a weakening of multilateral cooperation.

In this regard, the statement recalls the recent words of Pope Leo XIV addressed to the diplomatic corps: “In our time, the weakness of multilateralism is a particular cause for concern at the international level. A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies.”

The Presidency encouraged the European Union to continue acting as a united, responsible and trust-building actor on the international stage, remaining firmly rooted in its founding values and committed to a rules-based international order and effective multilateralism.

It is not the first time COMECE has engaged with questions concerning the Arctic region. In 2020, COMECE contributed to the European Union’s public consultation on the future EU Arctic policy, highlighting the EU’s responsibility to promote a sustainable and peaceful Arctic that places its people at the centre.

The COMECE Presidency is composed of:

Mgr Mariano Crociata (Italy), President
Mgr Antoine Hérouard (France), First Vice-President
Mgr Czesław Kozon (Nordic countries), Vice-President
Mgr Rimantas Norvila (Lithuania), Vice-President
Mgr Nuno Brás da Silva Martins (Portugal), Vice-President