France, Canada Open Consulates in Greenland

France and Canada are set to open new consulates in Greenland on Friday, in a strong show of diplomatic support for the autonomous Danish territory, amid renewed geopolitical competition over the strategic Arctic island.

The move comes as the United States has intensified its interest in Greenland’s security and mineral resources. Since returning to the White House last year, US President Donald Trump has publicly expressed his desire to assert greater control over the mineral-rich Arctic territory for security reasons.

Although Trump stepped back last month from earlier threats to take over the island, he announced a framework agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte aimed at expanding US influence on Greenland.

Denmark and Greenland have acknowledged shared security concerns related to Russia and China. However, both have stressed that sovereignty remains a red line in any discussions concerning the island’s future.

French President Emmanuel Macron previously announced plans to open a French consulate during a visit to Nuuk in June, where he expressed European solidarity with Greenland and criticised Trump’s ambitions. France has appointed Jean-Noël Poirier, former French ambassador to Vietnam, as consul in Nuuk.

Canada had announced in late 2024 that it would establish a consulate in Greenland to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen diplomatic engagement.

Gib Strandberg, a political scientist at the University of Greenland, said the openings represent a diplomatic gain for Greenlanders, allowing them to expand their international representation and visibility. He added that linking the new consulates to the French and Canadian embassies in Copenhagen would give Greenland valuable experience in managing independent diplomatic relations, as the island has long expressed ambitions to reduce its ties with Denmark.

Ulrik Pram Gad, an Arctic affairs expert at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told AFP that the new consulates send a clear message that pressure on Greenland and Denmark is not solely a bilateral issue, but one that also concerns European allies and Canada.

Greenland has maintained diplomatic relations with the European Union since 1992, with the United States since 2014, and with Iceland since 2017. Iceland opened a consulate in Nuuk in 2013, while the United States, which operated a consulate in the Greenlandic capital between 1940 and 1953, reopened its mission in 2020.

The European Commission also opened a representative office in Greenland in 2024, reflecting growing international interest in the Arctic region and Greenland’s expanding diplomatic footprint.