"We are very interested in working with American investors, but not in a way where they try to push certain political goals," said MP Aqqalu Jerimiassen from the Atassut party, part of Greenland's governing coalition, in a conversation with Reuters.
In April 2026, Greenland plans to pass a foreign direct investment screening law. Although its initial purpose was to curb corrosive capital from China, the draft was revised following Trump's statements regarding Greenland. In the updated version, American and European investments will also fall under screening, albeit with less stringent requirements.
"Greenland wants American capital, but we fear hidden political motives behind certain U.S. private investors," one member of parliament told Reuters, speaking anonymously.
What will FDI screening in Greenland look like?
• Foreign investors will be required to disclose the origin of their funds.
• Authorities will have the right to reject deals if concerns arise regarding the political motives of the investor.
• Mandatory screening will apply to critical infrastructure, IT systems, the extractive industry, hydropower, and state-owned companies.
"Screening is a mechanism not only of economic but also of national security. Ukraine knows this from the experience of Russian corrosive investments, the purpose of which was to destroy strategic enterprises, gain access to critical technologies, and finance destructive activities even before the full-scale invasion," said Volodymyr Landa, Head of Investment Screening at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU).
This publication was compiled with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. It’s content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Renaissance Foundation.