BRUSSELS, Belgium: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a 200-million-euro investment package for Greenland on Monday as the European Union seeks to strengthen its relationship with the strategically important Arctic island.

The announcement was made during von der Leyen's visit to Greenland, where she signed a joint declaration with Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and is closely linked to NATO through Denmark.

The EU has increased its attention on Greenland following repeated demands from U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington should take control of the island, which he has described as important for U.S. national security.

Von der Leyen said the new investment would deepen cooperation between Greenland and the EU and create new economic opportunities.

The funding will cover several areas of Greenland's economy and infrastructure. These include education, fisheries, internet access, hydropower and the development of critical raw materials.

The package will also support housing, small businesses, and environmentally sustainable tourism. The EU sees these areas as important for Greenland's long-term economic development and for strengthening its presence in the Arctic.

The European Union has been seeking closer ties with Greenland as competition and security concerns in the Arctic increase.

Trump's repeated statements about taking control of Greenland have caused concern in both Greenland and Denmark. Greenlandic and Danish leaders have rejected the idea and stressed that the island's future should be decided by its own people.

The issue has also created tensions among NATO members because Denmark is a member of the alliance and Greenland is part of the Danish realm.

In January, Denmark and seven other European countries sent a small number of military personnel to Greenland. The deployment was officially linked to military exercises aimed at improving Arctic security, but it also demonstrated European support for Greenland's territorial integrity.

The countries involved were Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Trump responded by threatening to impose additional tariffs on those countries. The European governments warned that such threats could damage relations between Europe and the United States.

They said they remained committed to protecting their sovereignty and maintaining cooperation within the trans-Atlantic alliance.

The dispute later eased after NATO agreed to a new security arrangement focused on the Arctic region, leading Trump to step back from the tariff threat.

Von der Leyen's visit came as 11 NATO countries began military exercises in Greenland on September 7. About 400 military personnel are taking part, including special forces from Canada, Denmark and Finland who have experience operating in Arctic conditions.