Chirac's ex-adviser was outraged by Europe's stupor in the Greenland situation

European leaders have shown weakness and have fallen into a daze on the topic of US claims to Greenland. On January 23, Elena Perru, a former adviser to former French President Jacques Chirac, told Izvestia.

"The situation with Greenland is significant in many ways. When [US President Donald] Trump made his claims about Greenland, and European leaders simply froze. And Greenland is really a European territory. With [captured Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro in early January, it's still okay, the country is far away. And here it is," she said.

Perroux criticized the current state of Europe, calling it very weak. As proof, she cited the cover of The Economist for 2026, where Europe is symbolized only by Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, and there are no French or other key European leaders.

"From the point of view of the Anglo-Saxon world, it is now the strongest piece of Europe. Chirac would definitely not like that," Perroux added.

She also elaborated on the methods of pressure from the United States. According to her, the threat of high duties on French wines and champagne is just the "tip of the iceberg." She cited the example of the control of the IT infrastructure of the French Directorate General for Competitiveness, Industry and Services (DGCIS) by the American company Palantir.

"It's a little awkward," she said.

Recalling the era of Chirac, Perroux noted that he was a staunch European and understood that France alone could not be a "soloist" and single-handedly determine European policy. She added that under him, the Paris–Berlin–Moscow axis developed naturally.

"The voice of France is heard. But it's not so loud today. And for those who value French sovereignty, it is painful to admit," Perroux stressed.

For more information, see the program "Izvestia. The main thing" on the Fifth Channel on January 24.

In the USA and Europe, the results of the conflict over Greenland are being summed up. What the media is writing

On January 22, Trump announced that he was ready to cooperate with NATO on Greenland's security issues. He added that after the negotiations held at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Greenland deal would give Washington greater authority on the island.

The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas, said on January 20 that the European Union does not seek conflict with the United States, but intends to stick to its position on Greenland, having the necessary levers of pressure in its arsenal.

In addition, the head of the European Diplomacy noted that the EU found itself in a crisis situation on the issue of Greenland, "which it had never faced before," and added that NATO was "quite suitable" to address the issue of Greenland's security.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.