France and Canada open consulates in Greenland amid Trump threats
Pedestrians pass a sign reading "Greenland is Not For Sale" in Nuuk
By Caitlin Danaher, CNN
(CNN) — France and Canada opened consulates in Greenland’s capital Nuuk on Friday, in a show of support for their NATO ally Denmark amid renewed demands from US President Donald Trump to acquire the arctic territory.
Jean-Noel Poirier said his appointment as France’s Consul General in Nuuk was meant not as a “signal” to the American administration, but rather a message of friendship to Greenland and Denmark.
“It’s also a question of solidarity. Just like when you need friends, you just turn back and you see who is there. And we are there as (the) French… It’s not against, it’s with,” Poirier told reporters in Nuuk.
The French Ambassador to Denmark, Christophe Parisot, added that the consulate was not just a symbol but “something very concrete” to show the cooperation and alliance between the three European nations.
Canada’s foreign minister Anita Anand and Canadian Governor General Mary Simon arrived in Nuuk earlier Friday to officially open their country’s consulate with a flag raising ceremony.
“Canada and Greenland share the world’s longest maritime border, as well as centuries of connections across the Arctic,” Global Affairs Canada said in a post on X. “Canada’s new consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, will bring us even closer, strengthening Canada’s partnerships with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Canada first announced plans to open a Greenlandic consulate back in December 2024 as part of its Arctic Foreign Policy, while France’s consulate was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June last year.
The opening of the diplomatic outposts follows weeks of strained relations between the US and Europe, after Trump renewed his bid to annex Greenland to ensure the US’ security.
Trump’s demands for the vast, autonomous Arctic territory ruled by Denmark, a NATO country, had threatened to upend Western unity, and splinter the military alliance.
The ratcheting up of Trump’s aggressive rhetoric has seen European nations send additional troops to the island to participate in military exercises with Denmark.
After threatening to impose tariffs on European nations supporting Greenland, Trump later backed down after reaching a “framework” for a future deal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
CNN’s Issy Ronald and Kara Fox contributed reporting.
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