Canada and France have opened consulates in Greenland in what is being seen as a major show of solidarity with the semi- autonomous territory following President Donald Trump’s aggressive bid to acquire it from longtime NATO ally Denmark.
The diplomatic outposts were planned long before the U.S. president’s threats in January, when he declined to rule out the use of military force to seize Greenland.
Trump ultimately conceded to exploring a deal with European NATO leaders that would grant the U.S. more access to the Arctic territory for security reasons.
But the consulates are still being viewed as crucial foreign support for Greenland and as bulwarks against pressure from Washington.
Prior to the Canadian and French consulate openings, and despite those two countries’ long, historical relations with Greenland, only the U.S. and Iceland had formal diplomatic outposts on the ice-covered territory.
Delegations of French and Canadian officials, including Canada’s foreign minister flew to Greenland this week to open their consulates in the capital Nuuk.
Ahead of the visits, Canada’s Indigenous Governor General General Mary Simon said her country “stands firmly in support of the people of Greenland who will determine their own future.”
Ottawa had first announced a Greenland posting in early 2024, after a re-assessment of its Arctic foreign policy. It was originally due to open in late 2025 but the opening was delayed because of poor weather.
Its opening now comes at a sensitive political moment and highlights European allies’ desire to show unified support for Greenland and Denmark.
It comes on the heels of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron leading conversations on the global stage recently, voicing condemnation of Washington’s perceived foreign overreach under Trump.
Canada has deep cultural and historical ties with Greenland, particularly through its Inuit community who share strong bonds with Greenlandic Inuit.
A group of dozens of Canadian Inuit representatives also visited Nuuk this week to be present for the consulate opening.
The Canadian city of Iqaluit, the capital of its northern Nunavut territory, is only an hour’s flight away from Greenland’s capital.
Trump has repeatedly voiced a desire for the U.S. to “own” Greenland, and repeated that ambition shortly after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, where commandos kidnapped President Nicholás Maduro and took him and his wife to the U.S. to face narcotics charges.
He has said that the U.S. should acquire Greenland for security reasons, arguing that Denmark was not doing enough to ensure Arctic security against Russian and Chinese interests. Denmark denied this and said that it had offered full co-operation with the Washington to maximize Arctic security for the shared NATO interest.
Trump has also called on Canada to give up its sovereignty and become the 51st U.S. state. In recent weeks he has responded to criticism from Carney by weaponizing U.S. economic power; threatening to impose 100 percent tariffs on Canadian imports into the U.S. if Ottawa signed a trade deal with China.