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Canada is set to open a consulate in Greenland, signaling stronger diplomatic ties as President Donald Trump pursues his bid to acquire the Arctic territory.
The consulate is being opened in Nuuk, the capital of the Danish territory, on Friday, though it had been in the works for over a year. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, King Charles III’s envoy in Canada, is in town for the event.
“I have been working with Denmark and Greenland for many, many years,” Simon told Politico. “We understand each other, and it’s important to talk about the lessons learned in each of our countries.”
“It’s really important for us to know that we are not alone in this, that we actually have people from other countries who care about us,” Avaaraq Olsen, the mayor of Nuuk, said. “People are scared and they are more and more concerned. Because of Trump’s statements, they get very worse and worse.”
Canada is set to open a consulate in Greenland in a display of solidarity against President Trump’s attempts to take over the island (AFP via Getty Images)
The unveiling of Canada’s diplomatic outpost comes as tensions have mounted between the Trump administration and Greenland, Denmark and other NATO allies.
In recent months, the 79-year-old Republican president has called for Greenland to be part of the United States. The White House previously refused to rule out the use of military force in doing so.
The president’s posturing has soured relations with Denmark, which has said in no uncertain terms that Greenland is not up for grabs.
However, in recent days, the administration has softened its stance, stating that he and NATO’s secretary general had “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland.”