European Commission President Visits Iceland to Discuss International Security, Defense, and Climate Change

Strategic Insights -

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Iceland on July 16-18, 2025, for a three-day official visit to discuss international security, defense, trade, civil protection, and climate change with the Icelandic Prime Minister, Kristrun Frostadottir. The visit was arranged following a meeting between the two leaders in Brussels last April. During the visit, President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Frostadottir held a helicopter tour over South Iceland to survey the impact of climate change on Icelandic glaciers and nature. They also visited the headquarters of the Icelandic Coast Guard in Reykjavik, where they met with foreign minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir and other high-ranking officials.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Iceland on July 16-18, 2025, to discuss international security, defense, trade, civil protection, and climate change.
  • The visit was arranged following a meeting between the Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrun Frostadottir, and President von der Leyen in Brussels last April.
  • Discussions centered around security and defense cooperation, trade, civil protection and emergency preparedness, and climate change.
  • President von der Leyen expressed her commitment to step up EU-Iceland cooperation on climate change beyond 2030 and work together to reach the Paris Agreement targets and COPs ambitions.
  • The visit to Grindavik focused on civilian resilience and protection, as the town has been heavily impacted by the nearby volcanic activity.
  • Iceland and the European Union have a strong partnership in civil protection, with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism ready to respond to Icelandic emergency requests.
  • President von der Leyen praised Icelandic civil protection authorities, noting their expertise in adapting to and managing risk.

Statistics:

  • Iceland has glaciers losing billions of tonnes of ice each year due to climate change.
  • The EU Civil Protection Mechanism dispatched a group of specialists to assist authorities in emergency planning ahead of eruptions in 2023.
  • Iceland relies on important data provided by the European Union's Space Programme, notably the EU's Copernicus Programme.

Sources:

  • European Union External Action Service, news release, 2025, exact date not specified.
  • Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, quotes.